Procedure when measuring 2 club lengths.

[Voyager EMH]

Please state above which of the two things you do.

This came up on the course today.
What do you tend to do?

 

[upsidedown]

Headcover off

 

[rulie]

This came up on the course today

Officially, headcover off. As a referee, if I see a player measuring with headcover on, and dropping near the limit, I will ask him to take the headcover off to confirm the ball struck the course inside the limit and stayed within that limit.

 

[Jigger]

Leave it on and drop within. Maybe something that should change in the rules for pace of play. Every little helps and all that

 

[doublebogey7]

I only measure if I intend to take full advantage of the the club length(s). So then needs to head cover off.

 

[Backache]

I pull the headcover up so that it's at its maximum extent.

 

[LincolnShep]

Most of the time I don't measure at all, I just eyeball it. If I need to measure then it means I think I'm near the limit so I take the headcover off.

 

[KenL]

Is it allowable to “eyeball” and not measure even if you clearly drop within the allowed distance?

 

[D-S]

Is it allowable to “eyeball” and not measure even if you clearly drop within the allowed distance?

I believe so.

 

[jim8flog]

I leave it on but know the headcover is not included in the 2 club lengths.
It is only on a very rare occasion do I need the 2 clubs anyway so will often just use the club I have in my hand.

 

[doublebogey7]

Is it allowable to “eyeball” and not measure even if you clearly drop within the allowed distance?

Yes, their is no requirement in the rules to measure. You are merely required to drop within the specified area.

 

[NearHull]

I think I m correct in the following,

I take a 2 club length drop using the club in my hand - let’s assume it’s a wedge. I measure 2 lengths and mark the two extremities with a tee peg. I take a drop and the ball moves forward and nearer the pin. I take another drop and this time it moves outside the tee peg by 1 inch, but no nearer to the pin. I then place at the point of where the 2nd dropped ball touched the ground and play.

I think that I’ve played from the wrong place and incurred a penalty as the 2nd drop was in fact valid and I was not entitled to place it, at the point where it hit the ground, because the 2 club relief measurement should be made using the longest club in the bag, excluding the putter. Had I used the longest club to measure, then so the 2nd drop was a valid drop.

Am I right?

 

[wjemather]

I think I m correct in the following,

I take a 2 club length drop using the club in my hand - let’s assume it’s a wedge. I measure 2 lengths and mark the two extremities with a tee peg. I take a drop and the ball moves forward and nearer the pin. I take another drop and this time it moves outside the tee peg by 1 inch, but no nearer to the pin. I then place at the point of where the 2nd dropped ball touched the ground and play.

I think that I’ve played from the wrong place and incurred a penalty as the 2nd drop was in fact valid and I was not entitled to place it, at the point where it hit the ground, because the 2 club relief measurement should be made using the longest club in the bag, excluding the putter. Had I used the longest club to measure, then so the 2nd drop was a valid drop.

Am I right?

For the purposes of measuring under the rules, a club-length is "the length of the longest club of the 14 (or fewer) clubs the player has during the round... other than a putter."

So yes (subject to a few assumptions), your ball did it in fact come to rest within the relief area, and you have breached the rules by then moving it and placing it.

 

[rulie]

I think I m correct in the following,

I take a 2 club length drop using the club in my hand - let’s assume it’s a wedge. I measure 2 lengths and mark the two extremities with a tee peg. I take a drop and the ball moves forward and nearer the pin. I take another drop and this time it moves outside the tee peg by 1 inch, but no nearer to the pin. I then place at the point of where the 2nd dropped ball touched the ground and play.

I think that I’ve played from the wrong place and incurred a penalty as the 2nd drop was in fact valid and I was not entitled to place it, at the point where it hit the ground, because the 2 club relief measurement should be made using the longest club in the bag, excluding the putter. Had I used the longest club to measure, then so the 2nd drop was a valid drop.

Am I right?

Yes, you are correct. "Club-length" is a defined term in the Rules, and means the longest club in your bag, other than a putter.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Can't recall last time I took 2 club length relief in a comp - but if I try and think back to the most recent 'casual' golf occasion that I took it, I probably didn't bother removing the cover. I think in a comp I'd remove it. But I answered the question with a 'Leave on' as that's probably the truth of it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I thought it was a requirement to remove the head cover. Is that not correct

 

[woofers]

Yes, you are correct. "Club-length" is a defined term in the Rules, and means the longest club in your bag, other than a putter.

And the definition of “club length” says the length of the entire club is used, starting at the toe end of the club and ending at the butt end. So I would interpret that as not including the head cover.

 

[Voyager EMH]

We have 83% of 35 forumers taking the headcover off.

At my club, I see the majority not taking the headcover off.
I ask them, "Why are you not removing the headcover?"

 

[rulie]

We have 83% of 35 forumers taking the headcover off.

At my club, I see the majority not taking the headcover off.
I ask them, "Why are you not removing the headcover?"

I can't remember the last time that I measured anything while taking relief - it's usually fairly obvious, and not required by the Rules.

 

[KenL]

I can't remember the last time that I measured anything while taking relief - it's usually fairly obvious, and not required by the Rules.

I’m surprised that a rules official would be so blasé.