Over the years, the USGA and R&A have updated the do’s and don’ts of the putting stroke quite a bit, most recently prohibiting golfers from using an anchored stroke in 2016. We understand you might find it hard to keep track of what is considered OK and what would cause you to be hit with a penalty so we’re here to help try to make sense of the rules.

In the case of those golfers at your club who hold the putter strangely, let’s review Rule 10.1b and see if they’re in violation of it. By the way, if they are, it’s a pretty costly punishement every time they do it. If you’re playing them in a match, you win the hole. If it’s stroke play, the penalty is two strokes plus the stroke made with the illegal method. Ouch.

Here’s the important things to remember. First, you can’t push, scrape, hit a putt like you’re holding a pool cue, or anything other than make a standard strike between putterhead and ball. But the manner in which you deliever the putterhead into the ball is important, too.

Anchoring is illegal in golf, and the definition of it is as follows: You must not anchor by “directly holding the club or a gripping hand against any part of the body (except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm). Or indirectly, through use of an ‘anchor point,’ by holding a forearm against any part of the body to use a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club.”

OK … that’s a mouthful. Let’s try to simplify: Some examples of illegal anchoring are 1) Using a mid-length putter and resting the butt end against your belly; 2) Using a long putter and resting the butt end, or grip in general, against any part of the body except the hand or forearm; 3) Propping your forearm of the gripping hand against any part of your body.

It should also be noted that this rule applies to whatever club you’re using, not just your putter. And it can come into play off the putting surface, too, as it did to Matt Jones at the 2022 Sony Open in Hawaii. Jones was cleared of doing anything wrong, but his bump shot with a 3-wood from off a green was scrutinized because of the way he held the club.

What can you do? It’s perfectly legal to use mid-length or long putters that are swung freely without anchor points. You also can rest your forearm against the grip below the elbow joint (including the wrist). You can even brace one or both of your elbows into your body or let your forearms touch your torso (so long as there is no anchor point).

Graphic courtesy of the USGA

Another thing to remember is that there is no penalty for incidental contact with the body. If a player’s gripping hand, forearm or even the putter itself merely touches the body or clothing, that’s perfectly fine. Where this rule sometimes raises eyebrows is when you watch the techniques of golfers on the pro tours who still use long putters. Charl Schwartzel on the LIV Tour, for example, is not in violation of the anchoring rule, but there often is very little room between his body and the butt end of the club. Same with Bernhard Langer on the PGA Tour Champions. Rules officials have watched his stroke and cleared him of any issues, saying there is room, even if it’s slight, between the club and his chest when he’s putting and that the club is not directly touching his body.

When it comes to the question of anchoring, there is an uncomfortable aspect to enforcing the rules. How do you approach a player or an official without coming across as if you’re accusing someone of cheating? That’s a tough call, but it’s probably better to clarify things quickly than have the issue go unresolved and become grill-room gossip.

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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com