Spieth Weighs In: Mastering Modern Golf’s Style and Skill

As Lifestyle Editor for The Daily Duffer, I’m always looking for those stories that peel back the layers of golf, revealing the human element that makes this game so captivating. It’s never just about the score; it’s about the journey, the choices, and the culture that shapes us, both on and off the course. This week, a fascinating conversation has emerged that perfectly encapsulates this – a putting debate that goes beyond technique and touches on integrity, tradition, and the courage to try something new.

You’ve probably seen the chatter online and perhaps even wondered yourself: what’s all this fuss about “anchoring” and Akshay Bhatia’s broomstick putter? It’s a hot topic that came to a head at The Players Championship, with sportscaster Kay Adams bravely asking Jordan Spieth for his take on her “Up & Adams” podcast. And let me tell you, when Jordan Spieth, a member of the Tour’s Player Advisory Council, is choosing his words as carefully as he would a club on the 12th at Augusta, you know it’s a conversation worth leaning into.

The Art of the Broomstick: A Human Story of Adaptation

At the heart of this discussion is Akshay Bhatia, a young pro who, after struggling with his putting, made a significant — and highly visible — change. He adopted the “broomstick” putter, a longer putter often held close to the body, creating an optical illusion that has led to a flurry of debate about its legality and fairness.

While some fans on social media have questioned his technique, even accusing him of cheating, Bhatia has been clear: he’s not anchoring. As he put it on Instagram, “Not anchoring. Literally 2 inches short of my chest haha.” This isn’t just about a rule; it’s about a golfer finding a way to improve his game, to succeed, and to quiet the self-doubt that can plague any athlete. Michael Kim, a fellow PGA Tour player, even came to his defense, stating:

“It’s funny to me that Akshay anchoring is a thing. In person, it’s not that close. This is not a concern amongst the players.”

What resonates with me here is the courage to deviate from the norm. Bhatia wasn’t afraid to try something different when his conventional putting wasn’t working. He consulted with other long-putter users, like Lucas Glover, and committed to the change. “I made a promise to myself that I’m going to take at least six months to try this putter out, regardless of how it goes,” Bhatia shared at the 2024 Masters. And what a payoff! His putting stats have skyrocketed, moving from 183rd in SG: Putting in 2022-23 to 12th this season. This isn’t just a technical adjustment; it’s a testament to dedication, resilience, and the willingness to evolve.

Tradition vs. Innovation: What Does It Mean for Your Game?

This whole situation brings up a timeless debate in golf: tradition versus innovation. Jordan Spieth, a traditionalist at heart, offered his perspective to Kay Adams:

“I would like the putter to be the shortest club in your bag, because it is the shortest club in my bag, and I do believe that it forces more skill. It uses your hands more, which makes you have to be more, kind of athletic and deal with the stuff that comes up a little bit more.”

Tiger Woods echoed a similar sentiment years ago. There’s a certain romanticism to the idea of the “pure” stroke, the handsy feel, the traditional approach. And I get it. The tactile connection to the club, the subtle movements that require years of practice – it’s part of the golf mystique.

But then there’s the pragmatic side. If a different method, within the rules, helps you enjoy the game more, reduce frustration, and ultimately improve, isn’t that a win? This isn’t just a question for the pros; it’s a question for every golfer. Are you stuck in a rut with your game, perhaps with your short putts or your approach shots? Are you open to exploring new equipment, new techniques, or even just a new mindset?

Your Takeaway: Beyond the Green

So, what can we, as everyday golfers who love this game, take away from the broomstick putter debate?

1. Embrace Personal Growth: Akshay Bhatia’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s okay to seek out new solutions when facing challenges. If your game isn’t where you want it to be, don’t be afraid to experiment, consult with pros, or even consider gear that might be outside your comfort zone (within the rules, of course!). Maybe it’s a different grip, a new driver, or a meditation practice to calm pre-shot nerves.
2. Question the Norm: Just because “everyone” does something one way doesn’t mean it’s the only way, or even the best way, for you. Bhatia found success by daring to be different. This principle extends beyond golf – in your fitness routine, your wellness practices, or even your daily habits, challenge yourself to explore what truly works for *you*.

3. When sportscaster Kay Adams asked Jordan Spieth to address a certain hot-button topic on her “Up & Adams” podcast at the Players Championship on Wednesday, he looked and sounded a bit like a witness being cross-examined on the stand.

   “Can you tell me what I need to know about this anchoring thing?” Kay asked Spieth who was seated at a desk across from her. “Akshay wins API. Is this OK? Is this not OK? Should putters be shorter? Should long putters not be a thing?”

   Kay was referring to Akshay Bhatia, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week with a 50-inch broomstick putter and an oh-so-close-to-anchoring technique in which he hovers the butt of his putter within a whisper of his chest; pressing the club into his chest would be anchoring, which was outlawed by the governing bodies in 2016, but Bhatia is not anchoring. Trouble is, the space between the end of his putter and his sternum is so narrow that, with the naked eye, it is hard to detect the gap, which has led fans on social media to not only question Bhatia’s method but flat-out accuse him of cheating.

   When the peanut gallery made those allegations during the Pebble Beach event earlier this year, Bhatia wrote on Instagram, “Not anchoring. Literally 2 inches short of my chest haha.” On Monday, in the wake of a fresh wave of anchoring skepticism directed at Bhatia, PGA Tour winner Michael Kim came to Bhatia’s defense, writing on X, “It’s funny to me that Akshay anchoring is a thing. In person, it’s not that close. This is not a concern amongst the players.”

   Still, not many pros have been asked on the record about Bhatia’s approach, so when Kay put the question to Spieth, who sits on the Tour’s Player Advisory Council, you could sense he was choosing his words as carefully as he might a club selection on the 12th tee at Augusta National, albeit without caddie Michael Greller’s counsel.

   “Um…” Spieth began as he and Kay reviewed footage of Bhatia’s putting stroke. “This is, uh…”

   But soon enough, Spieth got going.

   “There’s a skill to it,” Spieth said. ”If it were that easy to do and made everyone that much better, everybody would do it. … He’s been doing it for a long time. Most of the people who have [have been].”

   Bhatia, who is 24, actually hasn’t been using the broomstick for all that long. After struggling on the greens in the early part of his professional career, he consulted with a couple of long-putter converts, including Lucas Glover. In the fall of 2023, Bhatia made the leap. “We took a chance on switching to the broomstick, and I talked to a couple players about it, and they gave me some good advice, just kind of what to work on,” Bhatia said at the 2024 Masters. “I made a promise to myself that I’m going to take at least six months to try this putter out, regardless of how it goes, and so far my stats have kind of skyrocketed.”

   In the 2022-23 season, Bhatia finished 183rd in SG: Putting. In both 2024 and 2025, he finished among the top 40 in the category. This season, he’s currently ranked 12th, helped in part by his sensational week on the crispy surfaces at Bay Hill. Bhatia’s nearly 16.3 combined strokes gained on and around the greens was the best performance by a Tour winner in the ShotLink era, which dates to 1983.

   Bhatia, of course, isn’t the first pro to come under scrutiny for wielding a broomstick. Major winners Adam Scott and Bernhard Langer also have heard it from critics. But Bhatia is one of the younger pros to have adopted a long putter. Pair that fact with his vastly improved putting and now his third Tour win and he becomes an easy mark for skeptics and traditionalists.

   So, where does Spieth stand on sweepers in general?

   Pushed by Kay for his opinion Wednesday, he said: “I would like the putter to be the shortest club in your bag, because it is the shortest club in my bag, and I do believe that it forces more skill. It uses your hands more, which makes you have to be more, kind of athletic and deal with the stuff that comes up a little bit more.”

   Tiger Woods said much of the same in 2012, four years before anchoring was outlawed. “I believe it’s the art of controlling the body and club and swinging the pendulum motion,” Woods said of his aversion to what were then called “belly” putters. “I believe that’s how it should be played. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to that.”

   However you feel about broomsticks, reasonable minds can probably agree that at the very least the optics of Bhatia’s method are problematic. But that’s not on Bhatia to solve — that’s on the rulesmakers whose job it is to remove gray areas from the rule book, especially if those gray areas are causing fans to unfairly question players’ integrity.

   Focus on What You Can Control: The optics of Bhatia’s putting method might be “problematic” for some, as the article points out, but his integrity isn’t on the line. He’s playing by the rules as they stand. As golfers, we often get caught up in external factors – the weather, our playing partners, the course conditions. This situation is a great reminder to focus on what you *can* control: your attitude, your preparation, your effort, and your commitment to playing fair within the established rules.

“If it were that easy to do and made everyone that much better, everybody would do it. … He’s been doing it for a long time. Most of the people who have [have been].”

Ultimately, the “broomstick” putter debate is more than just about a piece of equipment; it’s a microcosm of the golf lifestyle itself. It’s about navigating challenges, embracing personal style, understanding community sentiments, and always striving for improvement – qualities that serve us well on and beyond the golf course. It’s a testament to the fact that golf truly is a lifestyle, full of compelling stories and lessons waiting to be discovered.