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12 Mar 2013 Corina Pelloni

The anchoring debate – a contrarian view

Okay I guess it’s time to chime in:  To ban or not to ban? The R&A and USGA‘s question/comment period regarding their proposed ban on the anchored stroke ended Thursday, February 28.  Not surprisingly, the PGA Tour is against the ruling, and many players who were initially pro-ban have now done an about-face. Many former players and media pundits claim a ban would drive droves of people from the game. This is simply not true. We have seen decreases in the numbers of people playing the game in the last decade, and the anchored stroke has increased in popularity. That being said, an interesting statistic to determine would be the amount of people who have returned to golf due to the popularity of the anchored stroke. Probably very few. Time, economics, and family commitments are all reasons for fewer golfers. Banning the long putter will not prevent new golfers from learning, former players from returning to the game, nor existing players from quitting.  A few, yes, but a few is not a consensus or majority. Is it not fair, however, to say there are two sets of rules in many sports? Basketball’s three-point shot is further away in the pro game than in the college game, and the aluminum bat is permitted in amateur baseball. These are but two examples. Lest we forget in golf, not that long ago, the smaller ball was used in Great Britain by both professionals and amateurs. The small ball is an interesting example to use. When it appeared during the 1930s, the R&A permitted it within the rules; the USGA did not. It became known as the British ball or British Open ball. Most American players used it when competing in events governed by the R&A.  Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were practitioners.  The ball was .06 inches smaller in diameter and the same weight as the standard larger ball. The British ball traveled farther and was easier to control in windy conditions. Eventually, the R&A banned the ball for use in the British Open in 1974 and banished it completely from the game in 1990. The question is, why was the British ball banned? The answer was the governing bodies wanted uniformity and equality throughout the game worldwide. Fast forward to today. Is this now the reason for the ban on the anchored stroke? The governing bodies say yes. In my opinion, this is a much-skewed yes. There is something less than equitable in their decision, and in my opinion, it is in contradiction to the nature of the game. Regarding the rule to be implemented on anchoring, it is odd that the governing bodies made this decision after three recent professionals won majors using it (Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, and Ernie Els).  Perhaps they truly feel it is of assistance. As an instructor, I beg to differ. Many professionals have attempted using it with no success, and these are the most talented players in the game.  Many, of course, claim it alleviates the yips. It most definitely does; however, as a golf fan, one must ask these questions:  Who is a better putter, a top touring professional who does not have the yips and putts with a non-anchored method, or the top touring professional who uses an anchored method because of the yips? Are they playing on a level playing field? I would say no, and the player without the yips is the better putter. We know it’s a game of confidence, and once a golfer experiences the yips, the supreme confidence they once had on the greens is gone. The anchored stroke restores some of the former confidence, but the player’s putting confidence is broken…forever. Unfortunately, this ban is being implemented for all the wrong reasons. It is about Orville Moody resurrecting his playing career on the senior tour, Ernie Els winning the British Open, Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson winning majors, and the awkward elbow-flaring putting style of Adam Scott that the governing bodies abhor but will never admit. It should be about making the game equitable for all. My position, as you are discovering, is one of equality, but from a contrarian viewpoint. In some sports a different rule for professionals is required.  In golf, whether you’re an amateur or a professional, those afflicted with the “yips” are severely handicapped, and the game for them is no longer played on an equal playing field.  Some reading this will surely say that the “yips” are psychological, so get over it. It is not; it is neurological and is a topic onto itself. Additionally, it has not been proven that a player who does not have the “yips” performs better with an anchored stroke over the player who employs the non-anchored method.  I would certainly take Tiger Woods or Nicklaus to make a putt when required over Keegan or Webb. Rule 14-3 states: Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment The USGA reserves the right, at any time, to change the rules relating to artificial devices, unusual equipment and the unusual use of equipment, and to make or change the interpretations relating to these rules. Under the same ruling there are the “Exceptions” which state:

1. A player is not in breach of this rule if (a) the equipment or device is designed or has the effect of alleviating a medical condition. (b) the player has a legitimate medical reason to use the equipment or device, and (c) the Committee is satisfied that its use does not give the player and undue advantage over other players.

AH HA! Got you governing, bodies. There is no doubt in my mind the committee looks at the belly or long putter as being used “unusually.” They have a history of not liking “unusual use” of equipment. because aesthetically it does not adhere to their views of a proper stroke. Remember this?   The powers that be were not particularly fond of a West Virginia hillbilly superstar using this style of putting (left photo). They felt he was making a mockery of the game, and hence banned the method by implementing a rule that one cannot straddle the target line. Mr. Snead simply adjusted his style to “side saddle” (right photo). He was never a great putter. Now, more importantly, what we read within the exceptions is most likely the true reason the R&A and USGA are implementing the ban. “(c) the Committee is satisfied that its use does not give the player and undue advantage over other players.” They claim they wish to maintain the integrity and traditions of the game, hence the ban, but it is obvious they are not satisfied that the anchored stroke does not give an “undue advantage over other players.”  Again, in my opinion they are dead wrong on this issue as they have no concrete proof that the long putter helps a golfer who is not afflicted by the “yips.” The governing bodies take pride in maintaining the traditions of the game, one of which is maintaining an equitable game for all. This is why we have a handicap system.  The onus is on the governing bodies to prove unequivocally that the anchored stroke provides an “undue advantage.” They can’t. and if they could. all players would employ the method. One of the great aspects of our game is that it requires skill and creativity to get the ball in the hole in the lowest amount of strokes possible. I respect the governing bodies’ role within the game. but not all their decisions. which are often held to subjective opinion. Perhaps if they listened to Ben Hogan. who strongly believed that a putt should only count for a half stroke. we wouldn’t be faced with this odd decision today. For the record, I do not use the anchored stroke.

8 Mar 2013 Corina Pelloni

TEACHING GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

Understanding golf course management and playing to our strengths is something that comes second-nature to most of us, simply because of the time we have spent at the game.   For many of our students, however, this is not the case.  They have not been taught how to play on the course or to learn to play to their golfing strengths. There are many things that need to be taught regarding course management, but two of the most important are ball flight and a player’s natural golfing strengths.  Course management can be discussed on the range, but playing lessons are the best way to teach course management.  Being able to see the angles you are teaching during a round will help your students have a better understanding of course management. Every student has a natural shot shape, or a “go-to shot,” as better players like to call it.  Understanding what your shot shape is allows you to eliminate half the golf course.  You can always play away from trouble when you play to your natural shot shape.  Often, when I teach someone to play their natural shot shape, I hear, “What if I hit it straight?”  To this, I explain that out of ten drives they might hit one straight, so it is important to learn to play the higher percentage shot. If your student’s natural shot shape is a slice, or a left-to-right ball flight, then you need to start at the tee box.  Teach them to tee off on the right side on the box, as this will open up their sight line and make the fairway seem larger.  Better golf course architects design the tee box to lead a golfer to trouble (i.e., lining up to a water hazard).  Making sure your student takes time to aim properly benefits their natural shot shape, in addition to noticing where they are at in relation to hazards. Now that your student is starting the ball down the left side of the course, they will be hitting more fairways.  Next thing to do is to have an honest conversation about their strengths and weakness in their game.  Most people have a certain club or yardage they are very comfortable with.  Likewise, there are the clubs and yardages they stay away from.  It is our job as teaching professionals to get our students to understand the differences, and prepare them for diverse situations. If your student hates hitting half-shots or anything inside 100 yards, then we need to explain about laying back to a favorite yardage.  When I taught with America’s Favorite Golf Schools, I would always ask the students their favorite yardage.  To my surprise, most of the people said a full 7-iron or 8-iron.  No one ever said 50 yards.  When we would go on the course for our playing lesson, I would remember their favorite yardage and train them to play to it.  This might mean hitting less than driver off the tee or not hitting a 3-wood on their second shot on a 5-par. Once your students are making a conscious effort to play their natural shot shape and understand their golfing strengths, they will start playing better golf.  Their confidence will grow, their scores will come down, and they will thank you for their newfound enjoyment with the game.

5 Mar 2013 Corina Pelloni

The age of adjustability

With the debut of the 2013 golf clubs, the golf equipment industry has fully embraced the adjustable golf club. Altering the original state of a golf club is nothing new. The concept of changing the club may seem new to new players and young professionals, but golfers and club repair professionals have been doing it since a clubhead was attached to a shaft to hit a golf ball centuries ago. The goal for the manufacturer may be to produce more sales, but adjustability is an age-old concept that definitely helps golfers of all abilities. Most golfers are afraid of the idea, which is really a shame. The problem lies in bad education of the golfer from not only the manufacturer, but also the golf professional. Sadly enough, too many golf professionals don’t spend the time to understand the basics of clubhead adjustments. Thus, they don’t explain or execute it well enough to their customers, clients, and students. To repeat the point, this is a great help to golfers of any ability. Tour players have been bending clubs and adding lead tape to clubs for decades. One of my more profound memories as a teenager was playing in a pro-am at a Senior Tour event, near to where I grew up. I was standing next to Bob Murphy’s golf bag, anxious to see what was in it, but afraid to be obvious about it. On the first tee, when his caddy pulled off the big knit headcover from the driver, I could see his clubs. To my surprise, there was lead tape all over his irons. You could tell his wedges had been ground to change the shape of the sole. Later, I noticed lead tape on his persimmon driver. From that day forward, I was fascinated by the physics of golf clubs. I have turned that crazy obsession into a 30-year career in the golf equipment business. The new part in the realm of adjustability is simply the convenience and ease to do it. For decades, changing the club head to influence ball flight was not an easy task. The first venture into changing the angle of the club, such making it flatter or more upright, or closing and opening the face, was attempted by Ping. In the mid 1990s, Ping introduced a changeable hosel on their woods. Cumbersome and not so visually appealing, the concept was dropped by the company after a couple of years. For many years on the PGA Tour, club repair technicians would bend wood heads for lie and face angle. When the hosels got too small to grab with a bar, they started building molds for the heads in order to bend them. Changing lie angle on a wood was a common practice. The most popular way was to drill the hosel larger, which allowed the technician to tilt the shaft during installation to change the lie angle. Wood heads have been manufactured with closed or open faces since the mid-1800s. As a matter of fact, the closed (hooked) face angle of many clubheads you might see in a old club display or museum is dramatic. The design of closed club heads has been so common since the 1970s that it is hard to find a square face golf club from that era. Of course, I already mentioned lead tape. Also, lead powder in the head or hosel is a decades-old technique. I have used this to great success for my customers for many, many years. The weight distribution of the head can have a great effect on the flight of the golf ball. So, what you see with adjustable clubs is not new. It’s just now we can do in seconds what used to take hours. Convenience and ease are the only new innovations. Unfortunately, some golfers think the idea is to adjust your club in the idle part of the round on the 8th tee. Not only is this not the intention, but it is also contrary to the rules of the game. The idea is simply to utilize the knowledge of the teacher and/or fitter to make the club adjustments to promote better ball flight and better shots, in order to make the game easier and more enjoyable. It is the golf professional’s duty to educate and help the golfer with these clubs. The loft adjustment is designed to give more flexibility in producing correct launch angle and backspin. These two factors control the distance of the shot, along with the ball speed. This is one of the reasons tour players are hitting the ball so far. They have their launch angle and backspin dialed in perfectly. The changeable weights are designed to influence head pivot at impact. A draw-biased club has more weight on the heel, and a fade-biased club head has more weight distributed to the toe. A flat lie will produce a fade bias, and an upright lie will produce more draw bias. A closed face angle produces more draw bias, and an open face produces more fade bias. These adjustments also have slight influences on other aspects of ball flight, but the above factors are the ABCs of club head adjustments. None of these concepts are complicated or hard to learn. We need to encourage our clients to not shy away from adjustable heads and explain the benefits of how the game can be easier with a golf club feature that is here to stay. Sometimes, the best ideas are old ones that have just been refined and improved.