Akshay Bhatia found himself at the center of a social media rules debate during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after an Instagram user questioned whether his long putter technique violated golf's anchoring prohibition. The young PGA Tour professional, who had just completed two impressive rounds on the Monterey Peninsula, took the unusual step of responding directly to the accusation, demonstrating how modern players navigate real-time scrutiny of their game.
The controversy began when the Instagram account @waystogolf posted a photograph of Bhatia putting with his extended flatstick during Friday's round at Spyglass Hill. The image captured Bhatia in his characteristic putting posture, which immediately drew attention from followers familiar with the sport's complex equipment regulations. One commenter raised a pointed question about the legality of his technique, specifically referencing Rule 10.1b of the Rules of Golf, which governs the prohibition against anchoring the club during a stroke.
The commenter wrote: "Is Akshay anchoring here? I am not accusing. But there is a point to the question. The USGA and R&A screwed up royally when they banned anchoring but didn't ban putter length. Because touching clothing is legal, it's impossible to detect now." This observation touches on a long-standing debate within the golf community about the effectiveness and enforceability of the anchoring ban that took effect on January 1, 2016.
Bhatia, demonstrating the direct-to-fan communication that defines modern professional sports, responded within an hour. His reply was concise and dismissive: "Not anchoring. Literally 2 inches short of my chest haha." The lighthearted yet firm response sought to put the matter to rest before it could gain traction, though the exchange highlighted the ongoing scrutiny that players using longer putters continue to face.
To understand the controversy, one must examine the specifics of Rule 10.1b. The rule states: "In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either: Directly, by 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."
Crucially, the rule includes an important exception: "If the player's club, gripping hand or forearm merely touches their body or clothing during the stroke, without being held against the body, there is no breach of this Rule." This distinction between intentional anchoring and incidental contact represents the gray area that continues to complicate enforcement and fuel debate among players, officials, and fans alike.
The rule defines "forearm" as "the part of the arm below the elbow joint and includes the wrist," leaving little room for interpretation about what constitutes a violation. However, the challenge lies in determining intent and the degree of contact during the dynamic motion of a putting stroke, especially when players wear loose-fitting clothing that might obscure the exact relationship between hands, club, and body.
Bhatia's putting performance had been nothing short of spectacular during the tournament's first two days. On Thursday at Pebble Beach, he rolled in putts totaling 59 feet, and on Friday at Spyglass Hill, he one-upped himself by sinking putts covering 71 feet. This hot flatstick helped him grab a share of the lead at the midway point of the prestigious Pro-Am event, making the timing of the rules question particularly noteworthy.
The young professional's recent form has shown dramatic improvement. After missing the cut in his first two events of the season—the American Express and Torrey Pines—Bhatia rebounded with a tie for third at the WM Phoenix Open. When asked about his turnaround, Bhatia offered insight into his mental approach: "Yeah, I mean, I think everyone's always a little anxious—maybe not Scottie [Scheffler]—to start the year. So yeah, just AmEx are on golf courses I love, didn't play great. Torrey Pines, golf course I love, didn't drive it great. And then I just really, I don't know, I'm the same person, but just found some stuff in my golf swing, which was really nice. Found some stuff in my putting, which was really nice."
Part of his success can be attributed to his growing partnership with caddie Joe Greiner. The relatively new relationship continues to evolve, and Bhatia acknowledged the learning curve: "Joe [caddie Joe Greiner] and I are still really fresh, which is really hard for me to think about sometimes because we have such a good kind of bond, I guess. So we're still getting to know each other, he's still getting to know my game, but we're starting to kind of mesh together where when we walk up to a shot, we're kind of on the same page all the time."
The broader context of the anchoring debate extends far beyond Bhatia's Instagram exchange. When the USGA and R&A implemented the ban in 2016, they specifically targeted the technique of anchoring a club against the body to create a stable pivot point, which had become popularized by players using belly putters and long putters. However, the governing bodies chose not to ban the equipment itself, allowing players to continue using longer putters as long as they didn't anchor them against their body.
This decision created the current situation where players like Bhatia, Adam Scott, and others can use extended-length putters in a legal manner, provided they maintain a small gap between the club and their torso. Critics argue this makes enforcement nearly impossible, as incidental contact with clothing can be difficult to distinguish from intentional anchoring, especially during the fluid motion of a putting stroke.
The Instagram exchange also illustrates how social media has transformed the relationship between professional athletes and the public. Where rules questions might once have been raised through official channels or media inquiries, players now face real-time scrutiny from fans and must decide whether to engage directly. Bhatia's decision to respond demonstrates a modern approach to transparency and fan interaction, though it also opens the door to ongoing public debate about his technique.
As the tournament progressed into its third round, the Instagram controversy seemed to have little effect on Bhatia's focus. His ability to address the question head-on and then return to competition highlights the mental fortitude required at the highest level of professional golf, where every aspect of a player's game faces constant examination from multiple angles.
The incident serves as a reminder that in the age of high-definition television coverage and social media, no detail of a player's technique goes unnoticed. Every stroke, every club, and every movement can be paused, screenshot, and analyzed by millions of viewers worldwide. This level of scrutiny places additional pressure on players to ensure their techniques not only comply with the rules but also appear to comply with the rules.
For Bhatia, the immediate concern remains his performance on the course rather than his presence on social media. His strong start at Pebble Beach positions him as a contender in one of the PGA Tour's most scenic and prestigious events. Whether the Instagram exchange will lead to increased attention from rules officials throughout the remainder of the tournament remains to be seen, but his preemptive clarification suggests confidence in the legality of his method.
The long-term implications of this incident may extend beyond a single tournament. As more players adopt extended-length putters and refine their techniques to stay within the rules while maximizing stability, the debate over the anchoring ban's effectiveness will likely continue. Some have called for a reevaluation of the rule or even a ban on putters longer than a certain length, though any such change would require extensive deliberation from the governing bodies.
In the meantime, Bhatia's experience demonstrates the importance of understanding not just the letter of the law but also how one's technique appears to observers. The two-inch gap he claims to maintain may be the difference between a legal stroke and a violation, but it also represents the fine line modern players must walk when using equipment that exists in the gray areas of the rules.
As professional golf continues to evolve, the intersection of social media, equipment technology, and rules interpretation will create more moments like this one. Players who can navigate these waters with transparency, confidence, and strong performance will be best positioned for success in this new era of the sport.