Limit the length of the putter
Akshay Bhatia’s win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational has once again initiated the debate regarding the broomstick putter and anchoring.
The USGA and R&A should have put a limit on putter length along with the ban on anchoring that went into effect in 2016, and it is time to correct that mistake. While Bhatia has claimed that the end of his putter is 2 inches away from his chest, pictures have clearly shown that he is touching his shirt and possibly anchoring the end of the putter to his chest. Anchoring one end of the putter would limit the twisting of the putter face at the other end of the putter, and I’m sure every golfer can recognize that they have missed putts due to a slight twist of the putter face.
TV cameras that focus in on a golf ball to determine whether it moved 1/16 of an inch inexplicably do not zoom in to see if the putter is anchored against the chest. It’s past time for the USGA to take the ambiguity away and set a limit on the length of the putter.
Jerry Wisler
Dorado, Puerto Rico
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