Are belly putters still legal?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 11, 2026
So long and belly putters are still legal – as long as you don't anchor them.” The argument against anchored putters is based on the assumption that affixing the club to one's body is an illegitimate way of gaining control of the putting stroke. The swinging motion consistent in all facets of golf is diminished.
Is a belly putter legal?
Belly putters and long putters remain completely legal to use, so long as they are conforming to equipment rules. What Rule 10.1b addresses is the stroke, not the club being used to make the stroke. So if you putt with a belly putter or long putter, the anchoring ban does not require you to stop doing that.
Can your putter touch your belly?
Is this a ban on belly putters and long putters? No. A player may still use any conforming belly (mid-length) or long putter. Rule 14-1b addresses only the method of stroke, prohibiting a player from anchoring the club directly or by use of an anchor point while making a stroke.
What putter is illegal?
A putter must have a loft between -15 degrees and 10 degrees. If a putter's loft exceeds these parameters, it is deemed illegal. Additionally, if an adjustable putter is able to exceed this range, it is also not allowed to be used.
Are long putters still allowed in golf?
The new rule does not ban the long putters, only the way they commonly are used. Golfers no longer will be able to anchor the club against their bodies to create the effect of a hinge. Masters champion Adam Scott used a long putter he pressed against his chest.
40 related questions foundIs DeChambeau anchoring his putter?
Fast forward to 2021, and there's a new form of anchoring beginning to take hold: so-called “arm-anchoring,” or “arm-lock” putting. Two belly putter refugees — Simpson and Bradley — both use the technique, as does Matt Kuchar, Bryson DeChambeau and Will Zalatoris, among others.
Is anchored putting legal?
The anchored putter ban “prohibits anchoring a club when making a stroke”. Implemented on January 1, 2016, the rule sent shockwaves through the game, particularly among the professional ranks.
Are broomstick putters legal?
On the contrary to what some may think, broomstick putters (or long putters) are perfectly legal on the greens. However, what is now illegal on the greens is anchoring; and broomsticks putters are the best alternative.
Is a two sided putter legal?
Two-way chippers are illegal. The United States Golf Association, the governing body for the sport in North America, sets forth the applicable standard in Rule 4-1d. It states that a clubhead shall have "only one striking face except putters with similar faces."
How long is a belly putter?
Belly putters are typically about 45 inches, or around 10 inches longer than a standard putter. A long putter is usually around 50 inches. Such putters offer up plenty to debate, as Els acknowledged all those years ago.
Are arm lock putters legal?
Are Arm Lock Putters Legal? The arm lock is a legal putting style because the governing bodies do not feel this creates a “stable anchor point”. At first, you may have to focus on keeping the grip against your forearm, but you will learn the stroke quickly.
Is face on putting legal?
Putting face-on with the GP putter is 100% legal in any golf tournament. The putting stroke (technique) that you see in the videos is again 100% legal.
What putter does Adam Scott use?
While Scott has spent most of his recent years with the same Scotty Cameron prototype putter in the bag, he switched into an L.A.B. Golf “Mezz. 1 Proto” putter ahead of the 2022 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Is Chipper putter legal?
According to the USGA, a chipper is legal in golf. However, there are some rules attached. For example, you cannot use a two-way chipper or a long chipper. You are also not allowed to use a putter grip while using the chipper.
Are putting chippers legal?
Provided your chipper is fitted with a regular golf grip – not a putting grip – and is not two-sided, it is perfectly legal to use your chipper during a golf competition. Your chipper does, naturally, count as one of the 14 clubs permitted to be carried in your golf bag during a competition round or tournament.
Is it legal to add lead tape to a putter?
Yes, lead tape is legal in golf. The USGA stipulates in rule 14-3 that “lead tape may be applied to the head or shaft of the club for the purpose of adding weight”. Whether the addition of weight is intended to make the club heavier or to promote a certain ball flight is irrelevant.
What putter does Bryson Dechambeau using?
Bryson currently uses a SIK Pro C-Series Armlock putter. It's a rare model to be seen on the PGA Tour and it allows Bryson to putt in his very particular way.
What does anchoring your putter mean?
The club is anchored “directly” when the player intentionally holds the club or a gripping hand in contact with any part of his body, except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm.
What is Armlock putter?
Popularized by Matt Kuchar, the arm-lock putting style allows for the grip to rest against the forearm and create a fixed point for the stroke.
Can you anchor your putter against your arm?
Arm-locking is, of course, legal under the Rules of Golf. According to Rule 10.1b, a player's putting stroke must not include an “anchor point” on which they plant their forearm — i.e., the technique used with broomstick putters, with the end of the putter (or the player's forearm) anchored against a player's chest.
How do you bet like Bryson DeChambeau?
Instead of using a standard putting form, DeChambeau opts for an arm-lock putting technique on the green. Pro Tips spoke with the professional golfer about what led to this different style of putting and the benefits he's experienced. “I struggled really badly for a while,” DeChambeau says.
Is Side Saddle putting legal PGA?
(Yes, side-saddle putting is legal and within the Rules of Golf.)
Is the hammer putter USGA conforming?
It does NOT conform to USGA rules for putters.
Who uses arm lock putter on PGA Tour?
Bryson DeChambeau and Webb Simpson are just two other players on the PGA Tour to use the armlock putting method, but with the grip up the left arm. Xander Schauffele has also been dabbling with the stroke in recent weeks.
What's in Adam Scott's bag 2022?
Adam Scott WITB 2022 (February)
- Driver: Titleist TSi4 (9 degrees) Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7X.
- Fairway woods: Titleist TSi2 (16.5, 21 degrees) ...
- Irons: Titleist 681AS (4-9) ...
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-10S, 60-04L) ...
- Putter: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Prototype.