No buts, it has to be banned

THE clock continues to run down on the rule change that will see the end of anchoring the putter to any part of your body.

But a trip to the practice green at Hoylake proved there are still plenty of players trying a variation on the theme with a long putter.

It seems a crazy situation is developing where a large number of players will continue to use the long putter, whilst claiming it is being held away from their bodies and thus not infringing the new Rule 14 – 1b.

Sir Michael Bonallack, a former Captain of the R&A and five-time British and English Amateur champion, sees it in a different light.

“I think it is only crazy because it has got away from the authorities, and the change just gets it back to where it should have been,” he says.

“I was Secretary of the R&A when we allowed the use of the long putter. But with hindsight, we shouldn’t have allowed it.

“At the time, it just seemed a way to help people to play the

Sir Michael Bonallack. game who otherwise would have given it up.”

Now 79, Sir Michael admits the game has seen many changes in the past, but the long putter was a step too far.

“We never imagined that youngsters would be taught that way to putt, right from the word go,” he says with incredulity.

“It is not a golf stroke when you are anchoring one end of the club, and only swinging the other end like a pendulum. “That’s not what golf is about. “You can’t anchor it against your body, but you can hold it away from your body,

“It will be difficult to see if, indeed, it is touching the body. And if they are wearing sweaters and waterproofs and they are blowing about in the wind, yes, it is not going to be easy

“You don’t want to end up with tournament officials peering at video cameras to see whether the club is touching the body or not.

“You certainly don’t want it to end up like that.”