Add Tom Watson’s name to the growing list of those who have vocally opposed the ban on anchoring proposed by the U.S. Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient.
Speaking in advance of this week’s Toshiba Classic on the Champions Tour, the eight-time major winner believes that the window for potential change closed long ago.
‘There’s too many players who have been using it, and the USGA hasn’t done anything about it. USGA and R&A haven’t done anything about it,’ Watson explained. ‘If they were going to do something about it, they should have done something about it a long time ago.’
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Watson, who will captain the U.S. Ryder Cup squad at Gleneagles in 2014, noted that he was in agreement with the concept behind the ban, but does not feel it should be imposed on a motion that has been used for decades.
‘I don’t think it’s a stroke. I’m still in that camp,’ he said of anchoring. ‘But the reality of the situation is this: This has been allowed to go on for X number of years, 30 years, 40 years ... so I think that’s the crux of the issue.’
The 63-year-old, whose battles with the putter have been well-documented, also relayed a personal connection to the situation that illustrates why many recreational golfers remain against the proposed ban.
‘My son Michael was a very poor putter with a conventional putter. He went to a belly putter and he makes everything,’ he added. ‘He loves the game because of it. The game is fun.’