rapper
Assistant Pro
who introduced this rule and why 14 clubs,i know it must have been the R&A but when and why was it agreed to be 14 ? and when was it introduced
the 14 club question
- Thread starter rapper
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DCB
Well-known member
When golf was played in the early days it was custom to have 7 clubs. As time progressed there seemed to be a club for every type of shot. The rule was probably brought in to stop people using a vast arsenal of clubs during a round. The Leith Rules of 1744 dont show any limit to the number of clubs used, so it must have been after that. Maybe Bonnie Price Charle changed it the following year and that caused the uprising?
It's an old old game with rich history that we are fortunate to be able to play
At one time it was illegal to play gowf as it was deemed mandatory to practice archery on a sunday afternoon and not waste time on this new game of gowf.
http://www.leith-rules-golf.co.uk/theoriginalrules.htm
Dave
It's an old old game with rich history that we are fortunate to be able to play
At one time it was illegal to play gowf as it was deemed mandatory to practice archery on a sunday afternoon and not waste time on this new game of gowf.
http://www.leith-rules-golf.co.uk/theoriginalrules.htm
Dave
Tommo21
Tour Winner
Tommo21
Tour Winner
This is even better.
Steel shafts were initially banned by the R&A and USGA in 1914 as "not a permissible departure from the traditional form and make of golf clubs". However, following further developments and pressure from manufacturers, the increasingly popular steel shafts were legalised in April 1924 by the USGA, and in Sept 1929 by the R&A, the main reasons being that steel shafts conferred no playing advantages, and conservation of the world's supply of hickory.
The flexibility of approach to shot making from hickories was stifled by steel-shafted clubs, so players chose to carry a large number of them of them in order to re-create the strokes required on the course. This prompted the USGA into limiting the number of clubs carried to 14 on 1 Jan 1938; the R&A followed suit 1 May, 1939.
The penalty for carrying excess clubs was initially disqualification, then in 1956 changed to a slightly more lenient two strokes per hole/loss of each hole for a violation. Nevertheless, a possible 36-stroke penalty or loss of 18 holes is still pretty harsh.
1964 the penalty was capped and became a maximum of loss of two holes in match play or 4 strokes in stroke play per excess club.
The current limit of loss of two holes or 4 strokes was introduced in 1968.
Following on from these changes, the issue of replacing damaged clubs arose. The USGA in 1947 and the R&A in 1950 allowed replacement or borrowing (but not from another player), refined in 1952 to a club damaged 'in the normal course of play'.
1988 rules allowed borrowing from anyone, but only the borrower could then use the club for the rest of the round. The pre-1988 wording was restored in 1992.
Steel shafts were initially banned by the R&A and USGA in 1914 as "not a permissible departure from the traditional form and make of golf clubs". However, following further developments and pressure from manufacturers, the increasingly popular steel shafts were legalised in April 1924 by the USGA, and in Sept 1929 by the R&A, the main reasons being that steel shafts conferred no playing advantages, and conservation of the world's supply of hickory.
The flexibility of approach to shot making from hickories was stifled by steel-shafted clubs, so players chose to carry a large number of them of them in order to re-create the strokes required on the course. This prompted the USGA into limiting the number of clubs carried to 14 on 1 Jan 1938; the R&A followed suit 1 May, 1939.
The penalty for carrying excess clubs was initially disqualification, then in 1956 changed to a slightly more lenient two strokes per hole/loss of each hole for a violation. Nevertheless, a possible 36-stroke penalty or loss of 18 holes is still pretty harsh.
1964 the penalty was capped and became a maximum of loss of two holes in match play or 4 strokes in stroke play per excess club.
The current limit of loss of two holes or 4 strokes was introduced in 1968.
Following on from these changes, the issue of replacing damaged clubs arose. The USGA in 1947 and the R&A in 1950 allowed replacement or borrowing (but not from another player), refined in 1952 to a club damaged 'in the normal course of play'.
1988 rules allowed borrowing from anyone, but only the borrower could then use the club for the rest of the round. The pre-1988 wording was restored in 1992.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Could you imagine telling all your mates you had an idea for a new game that they would enjoy but before they played it they had to read the rules (and understand them)?
I get confused with the rules to Monopoly
Reading through that lot, it's a wonder any of us ever took up this stoopid game
I get confused with the rules to Monopoly
Reading through that lot, it's a wonder any of us ever took up this stoopid game
shanker
Q-School Graduate
In the 1920s there was an American pro. who carried about 35 clubs, including 5 wedges. I don't why the 14-club rule was brought in but I suppose it rewards improvisation. Either that or to protect the poor caddies!
Herbie
Tour Winner
I wonder if standardisation of clubs had a marketing benefit for the masses?
Just imagine the logistics of producing a huge variation of clubs for the mass market, particularily todays market. the ammount of waste gathering dust in golf pros shops.lol
When golf caught on it was predominently a wealthy mans sport and a relatively small number worldwide when compared to today, if we all were expected to have 35 clubs in our bags we would have perhaps 70 in the garage, the golf pro would have to have a bigger shop.lol.
At least the steel industry would be better off.lol.
Just imagine the logistics of producing a huge variation of clubs for the mass market, particularily todays market. the ammount of waste gathering dust in golf pros shops.lol
When golf caught on it was predominently a wealthy mans sport and a relatively small number worldwide when compared to today, if we all were expected to have 35 clubs in our bags we would have perhaps 70 in the garage, the golf pro would have to have a bigger shop.lol.
At least the steel industry would be better off.lol.
Cernunnos
Journeyman Pro
imagine a driver for every eventuality in the bag draw bias,& neutral, maybe one smallheaded fairway driver, along with the standard fairway woods, hybrid irons & woods in there too, muscleback driving iron along with 2 - PW, along with various degreesof sand & lob wedges, throw in a gapwedge, repeat one or more of the wedges in low & high bounce. Then at least 2 putters one for short putts the other for long putts of different weights or lofts & I'd bet you'd already be over 20 clubs & that's without adding a chipper iron or one of those new nibblicks that cleveland are doing.... Have I left any posibilities out..?
OldWindy
Q-School Graduate
- Joined
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Wasn't there a story about one-upmanship between Bobby Jones and Tony Torrance in 1939 about how few clubs a player needed to win a major tournament? Could be cobblers, though.
