Replacing clubs

[berniethebolt]

Under the old rule 4-3 (a) (iii) a club damaged in the course of play could be replaced. Under new rule 4.1b (3) this is expressly forbidden and the player must proceed without the use of that club. This seems odd as I can't think of another sport in anyway similar in which a player is handicapped for the rest of the game by a failure of equipment. A cricketer can replace a bat cracked whilst hitting a 6. A tennis player can replace a racquet with a string broken during a serve. Last week the head came off my driver on the 5th hole of a pairs open comp. I could have replaced it after 9 holes without holding up play because I have always kept a spare driver and putter in my car for just that eventually (loss of other clubs is not so important). Instead I and my totally innocent partner were handicapped for the rest of the round. In what way is this fair? Somewhat bizarrely perhaps under rule 4.1b (1) I could have replaced it if I had started the round with 13 clubs! Am I missing something?

 

[Colin L]

You're missing the recent Clarification of this rule which permits a Local Rule to be adopted allowing replacement of a significantly damaged or broken club. You might to suggest its adoption by your Club. This is the model local rule in full:

Model Local Rule G-9
“Rule 4.1b(3) is modified in this way:
If a player’s club is “broken or significantly damaged” during the round by the player or caddie,except in cases of abuse, the player may replace the club with any club under Rule 4.1b(4).
When replacing a club, the player must immediately take the broken or significantly damaged club out of play, using the procedure in Rule 4.1c(1).
For the purposes of this Local Rule:
• A club is “broken or significantly damaged” when:

• ➢ the shaft breaks into pieces, splinters or is bent (but not when the shaft is only dented)
• ➢ the club face impact area is visibly deformed (but not when the club face is only scratched)
• ➢ the clubhead is visibly and significantly deformed
• ➢ the clubhead is detached or loose from the shaft, or
• ➢ the grip is loose.
  Exception: A club face or clubhead is not “broken or significantly damaged” solely because it is cracked.
  

 

[berniethebolt]

Thanks I will check.

 

[duncan mackie]

Thanks I will check.

I would be amazed if any clubs have this MLR in play yet, so I'm not sure what you are checking. It's very much a Tour hard card LR at this point - expect it to be a rules revision in due course (when there is a new version of the rules).

What has changed the other way is a significant latitude over the use of a damaged club, but obviously if its in bits that isn't a great help.

 

[Colin L]

I haven't even had time to put it to the Rules Committee for consideration and am, in any case, reluctant to introduce any more local rules for the practical reason that our revised LRs are in place, published on notice boards, posted on our website and committed to the printer for our "hard card". Not to mention that having reduced to one side of A4 there's no more room! All of which are probably thoroughly disreputable reasons for inaction, but right now I'll live with that.

 

[berniethebolt]

Fairly obviously, I would have thought, to check if the Club had heard of let alone taken any action to reverse this pointless change. If a local rule has already been suggested to get round it and you expect that this will be incorporated in the next rule revision then the powers that be obviously agree it was pointless. It was sheer luck that I was not disqualified.

 

[rulie]

Fairly obviously, I would have thought, to check if the Club had heard of let alone taken any action to reverse this pointless change. If a local rule has already been suggested to get round it and you expect that this will be incorporated in the next rule revision then the powers that be obviously agree it was pointless. It was sheer luck that I was not disqualified.

As I understand it, it was the professional Tours that wanted the Rule written as it is in the book. However, at the first sign of an issue (Harold Varner III), the professional Tours wanted it changed back to what it was before.
The lesson - "be careful what you ask for because you might get it and not like it".

 

[clubchamp98]

In a three club comp if you had driver 9 iron and a putter.
If your 9 iron broke you would have to play with just a driver and putter.?
If you went in a bunker your finished!!

I wonder why the tours would want that rule in place .

 

[rulefan]

I'm not sure if there is a Three Club Tour.

 

[clubchamp98]

I'm not sure if there is a Three Club Tour.

I will have another go .
I wonder why a professional golf tour would want a rule change so you can’t replace a broken club.?
After all they are the tools of their trade.