"I didn't know that was the case" Anthony Kim .

[DCB]

Poor Anthony Kim, he damaged his driver after a collision with a sprinkler head and then proceeded to use it on the following hole. Oops. Was this a wee temper tantrum from the new golden child ?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/7718262.stm


"I hit a driver off the tee and I was walking with it as I usually do, I wasn't angry, I was just walking down the fairway and the tip of the club hit the top of the sprinkler," explained Kim.

Aye right! I've seen some class club abuse over the years but not see a sprinkler head cause this sort of damage.

Whatever he did or didn't do, I find it hard to, believe that a professional golfer fell foul of this one.

Breach of Rule 4-3b

b. Damage Other Than in Normal Course of Play
If, during a stipulated round, a player’s club is damaged other than in the normal course of play rendering it non-conforming or changing its playing characteristics, the club must not subsequently be used or replaced during the round.

 

[TonyN]

Surely someone must have some footage of it.

I dont think a driver that tapped a sprinkler head would perform so badly from what has been reported, A moment of anger it sounds like and maybe he was just seeing what happened untill he got challenged.

Atleast he eventually admitted his own disqualification.

Feel sorry for anyone who had him in there dream team, I almost put him in!

 

[theeaglehunter]

I even know that rule having been playing for less than 2 years so I find this hard to believe. Would I be right in guessing that the tee shot hit before the sprinkler head attacked his driver was a poor one?

 

[DCB]

First one was OOB apparently.

 

[vig]

Knob!!!!!!!!

 

[Parmo]

Even me as a noob know this rule. Bit of a pillock for smashing his club down in the first place, you would have thought Pro's should set an example.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Interesting one though. You can smash your club playing a shot you know is impossible and break it and get it replaced but bang it down in anger and not be able to use it.

I felt a bit sorry for Kim although can't condone petulance but watching on the TV earlier it did seem that the whole thing got overblown. Still rules is rules

 

[Herbie]

It doesnt take much to mark a club by accident but to make a club damaged to the point it affects your game and/or efficiency of club requires a really serious smash against something. It can happen in circumstances of a hampered stroke in unusual conditions but I have never known it happen off the tee. Being in denial always lowers someone in my estimations.

 

[Imurg]

I've been looking for someone to actively despise since Mickleson mellowed out a bit - think I may have found him!!

 

[Cernunnos]

Not seen any footage of the incident, so I really shouldn't make a comment on it, but I do feel the need to say something on the subject:-

Many times we've come accross players (pro's) damaging a club in temper fits between shots, meaning that the club is then deemed to be out of play, but there are times when it does get a bit hazy as to whether essentially the player had meant to either hit something other than the ball or damage the club in any way.

But just occasionally we do come across something that could be construde to be a simple accident & its at time like this when we can feel for the player & the fact that unfortunatly rules are rules.

Part of us would like to see the spirit of the game allow a change of club where no intent or anger had been involved, but unless a desision on the rules were to be made, it clearly remains that Kim should not have used the club... hey ho.

As stated by another & I would like to echo the comment that I'd really like to see a clip of the incident/s to do with the Kim damage & ejection.

 

[OldWindy]

Found this: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=W1TXt24KJio

I'm amazed he didn't know this rule and I don't care if it wasn't intentional. For a pro to show this much ignorance reflects poorly on pro golf.

(I guess the rule must of originated when there were players deliberately altering a club during a round/tournament to fit the shot. Just like damaging living branches before actually hitting the shot from the undergrowth thus avoiding the possibility of players clearing a 6ft circle of rough around their ball. There seems to be a lot of rules to stop someone taking advantage which makes me think there used to be a lot of cheating.]