Considered to be one of the best putters on Tour, reigning FedEx Cup champion Brandt Snedeker weighed in Thursday on an issue that continues to hang over the game of golf – anchored putters.
‘I feel like they should be banned,’ explained Snedeker, who finished first on Tour in strokes gained putting and second in total putting while using a conventional putter in 2012. ‘I’ve got no problem with longer putters if you want to make sure they’re not anchored; I’ve just got a problem with anchoring.
‘There’s a reason why guys that have belly putters use them – they work,’ he continued. ‘If they didn’t work, they wouldn’t use them.’
Appearing Thursday on ‘Morning Drive,’ Snedeker indicated that the main cause for concern facing the governing bodies may not lie with recent major championship success, where players with belly putters have won three of the last five majors.
‘I think it’s the influx of junior golfers using belly putters,’ he noted. ‘There’s a whole generation of kids right now that are growing up playing golf, never using a short putter. Is that keeping with the traditions of the game?’
At the same time, Snedeker also recognizes the plight facing those Tour players who may be affected by a potential ban on anchoring.
‘If I were Tim (Clark) or Carl (Pettersson), I’d have a massive issue with this,’ he explained, noting two veterans who have used long putters since college. ‘Is that really fair to tell them, ‘Hey, you’ve got to re-learn how to play golf on Tour?’ I don’t think it is, but that’s not my decision.’
Ultimately, Snedeker notes that the decision facing the U.S. Golf Association and R&A is one that stretches beyond the PGA Tour.
‘Their charge is protecting the game of golf, not making sure it’s OK for Tour players,’ he added. ‘What’s best for the game of golf might hurt a couple guys in the short run, but it might benefit the game in the long run.’
