Starting Jan. 1, more than 100 changes, additions and clarifications to the rules of golf go into effect.
Two of the more interesting ones would allow players to use GPS systems—at the discretion of the tournament—and to stand square to the hole if their intention is to stay out of another’s line.
I assume that this last is related to the Snead ruling where he was banned from using the sidesaddle croquet putting method. I’ll have to look further into that one. We had exactly that controversy at a girl’s golf tournament, where one of my girls—intimidated by another player into getting off her line— took an awkward putting stance, and then was accused by the same player of putting while standing square to the line.
We had to resolve it by going back to the hole and re-enacting the moment. Eventually all the coaches (six of us) and the course pro decided that there was no harm, and therefore no foul. My girl was losing badly … I’m not even sure why the other player was making such an issue of it—except that (as her coach said) she was just downright mean.
There’s a story about the changes from the Associated Press.
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Sidesaddle is not illegal.
Croquet (between the legs)only was banned.
You can stand facing or square to the line so long as you do stand on, astride or directly behind the line of putt.
Sam Snead putted sidesaddle for the remainder of his life after they banned his croquet style after he won 14 tournaments croquet style.
Want to know more about this simplest and most accurate (legal) way to putt according to Dave Pelz? http://puttmagic.com
I put that all very badly. The issue with the girls was that the one thought she had one foot on one side of the line, and one foot on the other.
Patty Sheehan’s brother, Butch on the Champions tour putts sidesaddle as do a few on other tours.
can you send some info about the side saddle putter style? Thanks, ed
Secondly, does anyony one on the Nationwide or Pga tour putt side saddle? ed