PGA Tour board votes to adopt anchoring ban

Joe Fleming | USA TODAY Sports

The PGA Tour on Monday announced its decision to accept the ban on anchored strokes handed down in May by golf's governing bodies, the U.S. Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient.

The decision was not a surpise, seeing as the Tour generally accepts the USGA as golf's rules maker.

What happens next, however, is not so certain.

A handful of players, notably Tim Clark, Carl Pettersson and Adam Scott, have been exploring options with an attorney, Harry Manion of Boston.

"It was not unexpected," Manion told USA TODAY Sports. "I'm going to get with each of my nine guys and see what they want to do."

Manion represents nine players total; six have not publicly come forward.

Clark, who says he has a congenital arm issue that keeps him from properly rotating his forearms, could not be reached for comment Monday, but he has been adamant in his opposition from the beginning.

"We're not going to roll over and just accept this," Clark told USA TODAY Sports in May. "We will look into all options. We have been put into a position where we have to fight for our livelihoods. We will do what we need to do to get a fair result."

Scott won the Masters in April, making it four winners in the last seven major championships who anchor their putter. Ernie Els (2012 British Open) and Webb Simpson (2012 U.S. Open) used a belly putter last year. Keegan Bradley in the 2011 PGA Championship was the first major champion with a belly putter.

The USGA and R&A announced the proposed ban, rule 14-1b, in November 2012; then, following a 90-day comment period, the governing bodies announced on May 21, 2013, that the ban would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016 when the next "Rules of Golf" are published.

The Tour has consistently followed the rules laid down by the USGA, saying it does not want different sets of rules. It did, however, join the PGA of America in filing a formal complaint during the comment period.

"In making its decision, the policy board recognized that there are still varying opinions among our membership, but ultimately concluded that while it is an important issue, a ban on anchored strokes would not fundamentally affect a strong presentation of our competitions or the overall success of the PGA Tour," PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement. "The board also was of the opinion that having a single set of rules on acceptable strokes applicable to all professional competitions worldwide was desirable and would avoid confusion."

The PGA of America also agreed to adopt the ban. Both organizations, however, requested a delay in the implementation of the rule for recreational play.

"We had a very spirited debate and discussion among our board members at the June meeting," PGA President Ted Bishop said in a statement. "The PGA of America respects the USGA as the rules-governing body in the United States. We firmly and consistently stated our position throughout the open comment period, and while we agree to implement Rule 14-1b, we continue to feel strongly that the amateur player needs a longer period of adjustment to this rule."

In its statement, the Tour cited a rule involving grooves, mostly in wedges, that took effect for elite players in 2010 but not for everyday players until 2024.

That example, however, is not entirely applicable. That decision concerned equipment; this one is about the basic rules of play.

With Monday's announcements, three of the four major championship would ban anchoring beginning in 2016. The Masters has not made a specific announcement but is expected to adopt the ban as well.

While accepting this rule, Finchem added a statement that the Tour still can reserve the right to make its own rules if necessary.

"It is not inconceivable that there may come a time in the future when the policy board determines that a rule adopted by the USGA, including in the area of equipment, may not be in the best interests of the PGA Tour, and that a local rule eliminating or modifying such a USGA rule may be appropriate," he said.