Sunday 10 April 2016 21:46, UK
Bernhard Langer's remarkable form at this week's Masters has prompted much debate over the legality of his putting stroke, but Rich Beem insists the veteran German is in the clear.
It's a game of honour, and Bernhard has been around this game for so long I'm sure he would admit it if he felt pressure into his chest from his top hand while putting.
He is the fine line between what the new rules stipulate and his technique. I'm certain his putter is not anchored to his body, but what does anchoring actually mean? Is it pressure on your shirt, or your body, and how much pressure is too much?
We certainly can't tell, and that's what makes this rule so ambiguous, especially with the long putter. It was easy to tell with the belly putter, but not with the one Bernhard's using. Even if he holds it just a millimetre away from his body, it's legal.
He can be as close to the line as he wants without anchoring, and I'm not going to question him. I don't think he's got any reason to cheat the system and he's not the sort of guy to do that anyway.
He doesn't agree with the new rule, but he's accepted it, and I think it's perception versus reality and I've got no issue with the technique he's using.
One of the other big talking points this week has been slow play, and we saw Jordan Spieth getting agitated on Friday when his group were put on the clock after the turn.
The pace of play has been slow, but I think that's had more to do with the tough conditions more than anything else. There are times, especially here, when it's so tough to decide on a club and pull it out of the bag.
Yes I think they should play quicker, but you have to understand that this is a very big golf course. Even in a two-ball when it's flat, it's tough to get around in under four hours.
And when you're in contention in a major championship, you're not going to rush it. Maybe the committee should do a little more to speed things up, but in these conditions that's a tough ask.
It's hard to pull a club sometimes, how do you force yourself to pull a club if you're not comfortable? I've been in that situation many times, and I've felt like asking for a TV time-out and going for a rest!
