Three Issues More Important Than Anchored Putting

Three Issues More Important Than Anchored Putting
The Anchored Putting Stroke Ban Is a Huge Issue in Golf, but It Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg











Adam Fonseca May 21, 2013 12:19 PM




COMMENTARY | On the morning of May 21, the United States Gol
f Association (USGA) and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club (R&A) did exactly what everyone thought they were going to do: officially ban the anchored putting stroke.





While the ban won't go into effect until January 1, 2016 -- when the Rules of Golf will be updated with new rule 14-1b -- golfers on the professional circuit have already begun making their gradual change back to a traditional putter.

A handful of players and opponents to the anchoring ban -- most notably U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, PGA champion Keegan Bradley, PGA of America president Ted Bishop and PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem -- have already expressed their displeasure in various public forums. Lawsuits may or may not be filed by various "anchorers" on both the PGA and European tours. Some players may even feel like their livelihoods have been threatened by the Powers That Be.

Still, regardless of one's stance on the anchored stoke debate, I can't help but wonder if this will all be much adieu about nothing. Surely there are more pressing issues in professional golf that require as much -- if not more -- attention.

Here are three examples off the top of my head, in no particular order:

1) Slow play - Over the past two years, perhaps the only topic discussed and debated more frequently than an anchored putting stroke is slow play on any tour. Golf fans are sure to remember the drama surroundingPGA Tour pro Kevin Na. Formerly the poster child for anxiety-crippled swing thoughts, watching Na play a round of golf was akin to watching a snail cross the Brooklyn Bridge. The same could be said about Ben Crane, whose painstakingly slow attention to detail routinely stretched golf rounds over the five-hour mark.

Then there was the curious case of Tianlang Guan at this year's Masters. While Guan's situation was handled exactly how it should have been (believe it or not), many fans questioned the Augusta National officials' tact in penalizing the 14-year-old in his second round. "What was Augusta trying to prove?" wondered fans and players alike. Consistency in slow-play penalty enforcement remains a topic that must be addressed.

2) Golf ball technology - Perhaps the biggest issue that remains unaddressed while hiding in plain sight is how far golf balls are flying these days. We've all been led to believe that 460 cc drivers and spring-like clubhead faces are to blame for drives over 350 yards, but let's not overlook the multi-layered technology buried in the golf ball's core.

The world's best golf courses are being shrunk by a little white -- or sometimes florescent yellow -- object built to easily fly over fairway bunkers and cut yards off difficult doglegs. Restricting the flight on golf balls will have a much greater impact than what any anchored putting stroke could hope to match.

3) Drug testing - It is definitely the elephant in the clubhouse thanks to the recent Vijay Singh debacle, and professional golf has officially entered the performance-enhancing drug era. This topic remains the most polarizing in that many pundits remain unconvinced that PEDs have any impact on a professional golfer's talents. That's not the point. The fact that there is no comprehensive policy on drug testing in pro golf -- at least to the standard defined by America's four major sports -- is the biggest area of concern.

Even if there is absolutely no issue with PED use on tour, the governing bodies should be inclined to establish a steadfast policy to make sure it stays that way. Anything less keeps the proverbial door wide open for speculation and accusations to run rampant among players.



Adam Fonseca has been writing and blogging about golf since 2005. His work can be found on numerous digital outlets including the Back9Network and SB Nation. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife. Follow Adam on Twitter @chicagoduffer.