Tightening club during round...

[AmandaJR]

A FC at the weekend noticed his driver head was loose...perhaps the chucking it around and slamming it into his bag had finally taken its toll!

Is he allowed to tighten it during the round or is this considered changing the characteristics?

 

[delc]

A FC at the weekend noticed his driver head was loose...perhaps the chucking it around and slamming it into his bag had finally taken its toll!

Is he allowed to tighten it during the round or is this considered changing the characteristics?

Provided no adjustments are made, this should be OK. Actually using it with a loose adjustable component may make it non-conforming. From the rules of golf:

Adjustability
All clubs may incorporate features for weight adjustment. Other forms of adjustability may also be permitted upon evaluation by the R&A.The following requirements apply to all permissible methods of adjustment:
(i) the adjustment cannot be readily made;
(ii) all adjustable parts are firmly fixed and there is no reasonable likelihood of them working loose during a round; and
(iii) all configurations of adjustment conform with the Rules.
During a stipulated round, the playing characteristics of a club must not be purposely changed by adjustment or by any other means (see Rule 4-2a).

 

[atticusfinch]

Ramming the club into the bag may not be action in the normal course of play. Rattling around would be. Depends on what caused it to come loose.

4-3/2

Meaning of "Repair"

Q.During a round, a player may repair a club damaged in the normal course of play, or he may have it repaired by someone else. What does the term "repair" mean within the context of Rule 4-3a(ii)?

A.The term "repair" in Rule 4-3a(ii) means to restore the club, as nearly as possible, to its condition prior to the incident that caused the damage. In doing so, the player is limited to the grip, shaft and clubhead used to comprise the club at the beginning of the stipulated round or, in the case of a club later added, when the club was selected for play.


When a club is damaged to the extent that the grip, shaft or clubhead has to be changed, this change exceeds what is meant by the term "repair." Such action constitutes replacement and is only permitted if the club was "unfit for play" – see Rule 4-3a(iii).

 

[Maninblack4612]

Ramming the club into the bag may not be action in the normal course of play.

Speak for yourself!

 

[DaveM]

Surely it is just common sense to tighten the head, if only for the health and safety of fellow competitors. Do you want to be hit by a flying club head.

Health and safety should override any rule. I bet the courts would see it that way if someone was injured and made a claim.

 

[Foxholer]

Surely it is just common sense to tighten the head, if only for the health and safety of fellow competitors. Do you want to be hit by a flying club head.

Health and safety should override any rule. I bet the courts would see it that way if someone was injured and made a claim.

The alterntive to 'repairing' it is to not repair it but deem it 'out of play' so no longer useable in the round.

 

[duncan mackie]

Health and safety should override any rule. I bet the courts would see it that way if someone was injured and made a claim.

put another way; just because you are permitted to do something by the rules doesn't make it safe to do so, or provide any measure of protection in a court.

so the concept of H&S overriding rules is pointless and it's technically incorrect.