Graeme McDowell says anchored putters perform better under pressure

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Some golf officials believe that the long putter "takes one extraneous movement out of the putting stroke," says Graeme McDowell.

By John Holmes

PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

Do golf’s governing bodies believe they’ve made a mistake by not banning long putters that can be anchored to the body? They do, according to Graeme McDowell.

U.S. Golf Association Chief Executive Mike Davis told him that their research indicated that putters anchored to the belly, chest or chin give golfers an edge in pressure situations, McDowell told the Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper on Tuesday as he prepared to play in this week’s Australian Masters.

"They're convinced the research has shown that under pressure on a Sunday afternoon the long putter just kind of takes one extraneous movement out of the putting stroke," McDowell told the paper. "It just makes it physically easier to stroke the putter when the nerves are there (and) I think we should be levelling the playing field (by banning it).

"I think it's probably something they're disappointed in themselves that it's got to this point," he added. "They probably should have nipped it in the bud many, many years ago."