Using a broken club...

[Imurg]

This time last year I won a Big Bertha driver courtesy of GM and Callaway.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed a small crack at the back of the head. Callaway are replacing it - more on this later - but for now I'm still using it.
It still works fine, makes a funny noise occasionally but that's all.
My question is..
Knowing that the club is effectively broken but usuable, does this make it non-conforming and, if it gets worse during play can I continue to use it.?
My (3 stone lighter!) gut tells me that the crack doesn't alter the playing characteristics of the club so I reckon it's OK to usebut the second part I'm not so sure about.

 

[delc]

This time last year I won a Big Bertha driver courtesy of GM and Callaway.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed a small crack at the back of the head. Callaway are replacing it - more on this later - but for now I'm still using it.
It still works fine, makes a funny noise occasionally but that's all.
My question is..
Knowing that the club is effectively broken but usuable, does this make it non-conforming and, if it gets worse during play can I continue to use it.?
My (3 stone lighter!) gut tells me that the crack doesn't alter the playing characteristics of the club so I reckon it's OK to usebut the second part I'm not so sure about.

As long as it was damaged in the normal course of play and still generally complies with the equipment rules, then you should be OK. If however it was damaged by say smashing it against a tee marker or into the ground in anger, then you wouldn't be!

 

[duncan mackie]

As long as it was damaged in the normal course of play OR still generally??? complies with the equipment rules, then you should be OK. If however it was damaged by say smashing it against a tee marker or into the ground in anger, then you wouldn't be!

sometimes it's the smallest of errors that make something entirely wrong and confusing.....

1. has to comply at start
2. damaged during normal play it can be continued with even if it doesn't comply in damaged state

 

[delc]

sometimes it's the smallest of errors that make something entirely wrong and confusing.....

1. has to comply at start
2. damaged during normal play it can be continued with even if it doesn't comply in damaged state

There was a case when a U.S. tour pro (can't remember who now) was DQ'd because a balance weight had fallen out of the head of his driver, leaving a non-conforming hole in it.

 

[duncan mackie]

There was a case when a U.S. tour pro (can't remember who now) was DQ'd because a balance weight had fallen out of the head of his driver, leaving a non-conforming hole in it.

if it had fallen out before he started his round, or he had caused it to fall out other than in the normal course of play, then this would obviously be the case in line with what I've written.... (in the absence of the facts around those factors I can't see how it's relevant to this thread though)

 

[Colin L]

There was a case when a U.S. tour pro (can't remember who now) was DQ'd because a balance weight had fallen out of the head of his driver, leaving a non-conforming hole in it.

Del, you are contributing further confusion with too little information. When did the weight fall off - before or during the round? What caused it to detach? If it happened, for example, in normal use during the round why was he disqualified? There has to be a clear reason for the DQ, not just that a bit fell off his driver some time, somehow.

 

[Colin L]

Good evening, Duncan.

 

[delc]

Del, you are contributing further confusion with too little information. When did the weight fall off - before or during the round? What caused it to detach? If it happened, for example, in normal use during the round why was he disqualified? There has to be a clear reason for the DQ, not just that a bit fell off his driver some time, somehow.

The OP is proposing to start rounds using his driver in a damaged condition, pending getting a replacement. Isn't this possibly similar?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The weight in the players SLDR fell off before the round started - fell off during warm up rounds

http://golfweek.com/news/2013/aug/17/howell-iii-receives-dq-non-conforming-club/

 

[Imurg]

And losing a weight will change the way the driver plays so probably made it NC..
4/5ths of not a lot to do with my issue...ne:

 

[delc]

And losing a weight will change the way the driver plays so probably made it NC..
4/5ths of not a lot to do with my issue...ne:

As far as I can remember, the issue was that driver heads should be plain in shape, with no holes in them. The non-conformity was that after the weight fell out there was a hole in the head. This ruling does not apply to putters btw, which is why some TM putters do have holes in their heads.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

As far as I can remember, the issue was that driver heads should be plain in shape, with no holes in them. The non-conformity was that after the weight fell out there was a hole in the head. This ruling does not apply to putters btw, which is why some TM putters do have holes in their heads.

Which is exactly what is said in the article I posted 25 mins ago

 

[delc]

Which is exactly what is said in the article I posted 25 mins ago

Which I can't read on an iPhone, which is what I am using at the moment. I will read your link when I get home and have access to a proper computer.

 

[backwoodsman]

To reply to OP - unless OP says otherwise I'd suggest that the crack has occurred from wear through normal use - (albeit that the manufacturing may not have been up to full quality spec, hence the damage arising). It was supplied to you as conforming when you got it, and so IMHO is still conforming. I can't see why it would not still meet the various requirements of rules Appendix II through having a minor crack? So I think you can continue to use it in as many rounds as you like until a replacement arrives.

Unless the guru's think differently that is.

 

[delc]

I

To reply to OP - unless OP says otherwise I'd suggest that the crack has occurred from wear through normal use - (albeit that the manufacturing may not have been up to full quality spec, hence the damage arising). It was supplied to you as conforming when you got it, and so IMHO is still conforming. I can't see why it would not still meet the various requirements of rules Appendix II through having a minor crack? So I think you can continue to use it in as many rounds as you like until a replacement arrives.

Unless the guru's think differently that is.

Think that is what I said in post #2 in this thread!

 

[Colin L]

The OP is proposing to start rounds using his driver in a damaged condition, pending getting a replacement. Isn't this possibly similar?

Nobody could tell if the situations were similar when you didn't include the essential information as to when the bit fell off - before or during the round.

I
Think that is what I said in post #2 in this thread!

No it wasn't. And besides, what was said in post #2 was wrong.

 

[rulefan]

Nobody could tell if the situations were similar when you didn't include the essential information as to when the bit fell off - before or during the round.

Colin
Read post #2 again, not delc's second post

 

[Colin L]

Colin
Read post #2 again, not delc's second post

Sorry if I've confused the issue but I was referring to the lack of information in the delc's reference to the tour player who was disqualified. But that was a side-track and distracting from the OP's question which is clearly about starting a round with a cracked club. Best side aside!

 

[drdel]

Don't see the confusion.

The OP knows his driver is bust so he cannot start a new round as it is no longer conforming and, if he does, he knowingly used an illegal club so a DQ would apply.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

so some of you say its non conforming, some of you say its OK to continue to use

glad we got that sorted