Arm Lock Putting Should Be Illegal

[bobr3 4]

I totally agree with the idea of getting rid of the green reading books that these guys have. If you're a professional golfer or a professional caddy you should be able to read greens you don't need a book to tell you

[Rick Sanders 1]

I notice Billy Horschel isn't anchoring?

[Dellbo 1]

I appreciate all and every opinion. I just bought an arm lock putter after 60 years of golfing. I 3 putted 4-5 times yesterday with it as it takes time to get used to it. My point is that it is legal so you are free to join the club. I am going to get better and miss fewer 4’ putts with it. 

[Dave Tutelman 29]

On 4/17/2021 at 11:11 AM, cnosil said:

To my knowledge there isn't anything in the rules that states you can't turn your normal putting grip to the side and use the flat part against your lead hand and accomplish the same thing.  You could go a little farther up and use the Superstroke wrist lock grip which basically does what I am describing but locks it in the wrist.  

I did precisely that in 2002. Pistol grip turned sideways and up the wrist several inches. Functioned pretty much the way my arm lock putter does today.

 

I didn't like it then, because I had trouble controlling distance -- even though it was uncanny in getting the line right. But in my early 70s I developed the yips. The arm lock putter controls it better than anything else I can do.

[Another Steve 17]

I personally don't care, but can see the advantage it could provide by bracing and physically limiting the wrist movement in  the stoke. How do you control it? Allow the grip to contact the wrist no further than 2" above the top cuff of a normal golf glove. I agree that the flat of the grip should be perpendicular to the face. 

Edited April 18, 2021 by Another Steve

[JeremyD 225]

Historically the best putters had great feel, and didn’t putt this way but I understand it really wasn’t a thing decades ago. If this was truly like a cheat code then more guys would do it. Maybe Horschel should start playing this way and if he starts winning all the time then he proves his point. Otherwise he can keep having a hissy fit at Augusta and let the rule makers change the rules if they agree

[silver & black 6,417]

I'm not sure why turning the grip any direction you want is cheating??? 

 

I'm not for banning any type of putter. If you want to hold it like a broom stick or burry it in your belly... have at it! If you are upset over that, do the same... or get better at your preferred method.

[FrogginBullfish 1,838]

I believe the argument is that it's an alignment aid, but if that's the point should Golf Pride's Align grips also be banned? Should SeeMore's visual alignment thing on their putters be banned? Should alignment marks on woods and other putters be banned? Should lines/arrows/triple track on balls be banned? Where do you draw the line on alignment aids on the actual club/ball?

I'm not sure why turning the grip any direction you want is cheating??? 
 
I'm not for banning any type of putter. If you want to hold it like a broom stick or burry it in your belly... have at it! If you are upset over that, do the same... or get better at your preferred method.

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[DiscipleofPenick 4,038]

Good points! I was surprised that golf pride align grip is conforming. I thought anything raised marks or indentation that aided a player in putting their hands in the same spot is illegal.

Penick wrote about alignment on the ball in 90s, can't remember which book. He thought it was vaguely illegal to align the logo (brand name) on the target line. As a player can't touch a point on the ground or place on object along the intended play line, why can they place the ball in a manner that aides alignment?

I believe the argument is that it's an alignment aid, but if that's the point should Golf Pride's Align grips also be banned? Should SeeMore's visual alignment thing on their putters be banned? Should alignment marks on woods and other putters be banned? Should lines/arrows/triple track on balls be banned? Where do you draw the line on alignment aids on the actual club/ball?


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Take Dead Aim

[FrogginBullfish 1,838]

Yeah, I don't know the rules on it that specifically but it's just more if you think a putting grip oriented so that a flat part is flush with the forearm for alignment is cheating, where's the cheating claims for all of these other alignment aids that golfers use?

Good points! I was surprised that golf pride align grip is conforming. I thought anything raised marks or indentation that aided a player in putting their hands in the same spot is illegal.

Penick wrote about alignment on the ball in 90s, can't remember which book. He thought it was vaguely illegal to align the logo (brand name) on the target line. As a player can't touch a point on the ground or place on object along the intended play line, why can they place the ball in a manner that aides alignment?


Take Dead Aim

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[LICC 388]

25 minutes ago, FrogginBullfish said:

I believe the argument is that it's an alignment aid, but if that's the point should Golf Pride's Align grips also be banned? Should SeeMore's visual alignment thing on their putters be banned? Should alignment marks on woods and other putters be banned? Should lines/arrows/triple track on balls be banned? Where do you draw the line on alignment aids on the actual club/ball?

 

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It has nothing to do with being an alignment aid. It is not a golf stroke when you anchor the club to your forearm.

[FrogginBullfish 1,838]

It has nothing to do with being an alignment aid. It is not a golf stroke when you anchor the club to your forearm.

In regards to people claiming rotating the grip so a flat portion is flush with the inside of the forearm is cheating, it is a question of it being an alignment aid.

I don't agree that armlock is anchoring either.

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[DaveP043 5,610]

On 4/17/2021 at 3:31 PM, excourse said:

The only caveat would be that no club longer than the driver be used to measure drops to eliminate the broomstick cheaters.

That's what the rule says now, read the definition of "club-length".  Its the longest club in your bag, besides the putter.

9 hours ago, Siamese Moose said:

One of the key things I took from Horschel's comments was that guys are using putter grips that are turned 90°, so the flat surface is against the forearm. This means that the face will always be square to your arm. I agree with him that I don't think that is fair. The rule change for that should be simple: make it so the flat portion of the grip has to be perpendicular to the face. Other than that, I don't have a problem with armlock putting.

A lot of the newer grips are pretty much square in cross-section, so if one side is perpendicular to the face, the adjacent side is parallel.

[JDHolmes 214]

I hold my putter in both hands. I do n t rotate the face. And actually, i do everything possible to maintain a square face.

According to your definition, my style should be illegal too.

And my putter is locked in my hands, and i keep my left wrist stifc (locked).

Two hands on the putter is gripping it. Locking it against your arm is anchoring the stroke. Not for the pivot point but for the face rotation.  It shouldn’t be allowed. 

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[LICC 388]

30 minutes ago, JDHolmes said:

I hold my putter in both hands. I do n t rotate the face. And actually, i do everything possible to maintain a square face.

According to your definition, my style should be illegal too.

And my putter is locked in my hands, and i keep my left wrist stifc (locked).

 

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I don't understand your point. If the only part of your body that is touching the club is your hands, how is that comparable to the arm lock?

[ole gray 17,766]

I'm not sure why turning the grip any direction you want is cheating??? 
 
I'm not for banning any type of putter. If you want to hold it like a broom stick or burry it in your belly... have at it! If you are upset over that, do the same... or get better at your preferred method.

Well said! [emoji378]

I tried to like my arm lock however it fizzled out. It definitely takes some adapting to and I was short on patience.


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[Chip Strokes 6,755]

unless a handful of guys who switch to armlock star tearing though rounds with 20 putts, this seems like an awful lot of wasted energy and key strokes 

[Another Steve 17]

Do any of you remember when the "wasp waist " shaped putter grip was banned? I think they may have wanted to go after the ping grip too but I might be wrong there.... it was a Long time ago. 

[DiscipleofPenick 4,038]

I hold my putter in both hands. I do n t rotate the face. And actually, i do everything possible to maintain a square face.

According to your definition, my style should be illegal too.

And my putter is locked in my hands, and i keep my left wrist stifc (locked).


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Same here, though I use left hand low. No wrist break or rotation. Just a straight back and through putting stroke.

Take Dead Aim

[Golfhandds 57]

This is all silly to me.  Studies show over and over that speed control is more important than aim.  Reading the green and controlling the line with correct speed  is the key.  I suspect you give up some speed control on long putts anchored and maybe gain some face control on short putts.  Of course, you gain face control with claw or left hand low or other methods as well.  Putt any way you want.  If everyone can do it, it is not an advantage because anyone can do it if they want.