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14 club rule

SuperStroke
easy_13 said:
I don't see anything wrong with having extra clubs if you are demoing something during a casual round, or even experimenting during a practice round. You just need to make sure you are legal for a tournament.
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Or if you are returning scores for handicap.

easy_13 said:
For a couple of you that are saying a rule is a rule is a rule: Do you always mark each and every ball in the same manner? If you lose a ball on a hole, do you always finish the hole with the same kind of ball?


Having said all that, the most I've ever carried is 13.
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Yes I mark the same every time. Just FYI, there is no rule that requires you to use the same kind of ball when substituting a ball under a rule which allows it.
 
I never carry more than 14 and really I could drop to 13 and probably not notice the difference.
 
I play in a lot of skins games and tournaments so I only keep 14 in the bag. There is the occasion where I'm testing a club and I might carry a few extra. Right now I'm playing with wedges and 3 woods, so you might find an extra club or 2 in my bag. But I make sure to take right out after my practice round/testing... so I don't make a dumb mistake.
 
I only carry 14, but I've been guilty of having my tour striker in the bag after warming up with it before a round, but I don't consider it a "club" because I would never hit it during a round.

Would it put me over the limit?
 
I carry 16 at the moment,i have 2 gap wedges and 2 putters in the bag right now because i cant decide which i want to keep in the bag and which needs to stay home. I had 17 in the bag 2 weeks ago 2 GW's,2 putters and 2 drivers but,i made the decision on the driver. Its not a big deal i take 1 of the GW's and putters out when i am in a tourney,golf should be fun without worrying about a million insignificant rules,i say dont worry about it.
 
I carry 13-14. Today I only carried irons and Niblicks as they are both new to me. Needless to say the 6I saw a lot of action. Shot a 43 so not far off normal. Had I taken driver or even a hybrid may have shot lower. It's nice to have limited decisions sometimes. 13-14 is about all I care to handle.
 
12 for me currently, another 2 wedges on the way shortly
 
Many years back I always carried 12 clubs...9 irons...putter...3 woods...then I started carrying a lob wedge...One day I decided to carry just the even numbered irons 4/6/8/PW/SW...Putter...Driver/3 wood/5 wood...9 clubs...You may think you`ll never be able to score well doing that but I always end up scoring the same...breaking 80 most the time...

I remember reading that Sam Snead said beware of the player that can take a 7 iron and was able to play it anywhere from 110 to 160 yards...in essence learning what you can do with each iron was key to good iron play and playing under different conditions...

By carrying every other iron I gained the ability to play a iron to different distances... I started learning how to be more creative and that translated into improving my iron game and added interest to the game by learning different shots to play...I can say carrying less clubs actually improved my game... Jim
 
jpalyman said:
Does anyone know when and why the 14 club rule was put into effect?
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1938. Here's a link. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757273,00.html

It gives some of the reasons. I saw a show on the Golf Channel that mentioned it in passing. Some of the oldtimers carried as many as 25-30 clubs, including several left-handed clubs to get out of trouble. I believe the show said they settled on 14 because that happened to be the number of clubs carried by the winner of that week's tournament.
 
blugold said:
Do what you have to do to enjoy the game. If that means 15 clubs, have at it. Life is too short to get wound up by petty things like the rules of golf.***

***As long as you are not in a competition.
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I agree - if people who vowed strict adherence to golf rules at all times applied the same logic to basketball or any other sport then no one could ever play a pickup game of basketball or a game of touch football with the kids in the backyard. To me it is the same thing, do what you want when it isn't official. If it is official for handicap purposes then do that, or in a tournament where everyone follows the rules then do that also, but for fun on the weekend do whatever you want to enjoy the game.
 
pjcedog said:
I agree - if people who vowed strict adherence to golf rules at all times applied the same logic to basketball or any other sport then no one could ever play a pickup game of basketball or a game of touch football with the kids in the backyard. To me it is the same thing, do what you want when it isn't official. If it is official for handicap purposes then do that, or in a tournament where everyone follows the rules then do that also, but for fun on the weekend do whatever you want to enjoy the game.
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Except that in football and basketball the players are not responsible for the rules. They have officials for that. Not so in golf. Since the player is the one who is responsible, there is no excuse for not making the attempt to follow the rules as much as you know them. To deliberately ignore a rule which is so easy to follow is not that much different than accelerating to try to beat a red light even though you know that you have plenty of time to stop. :confused2:
 
Fourputt said:
Except that in football and basketball the players are not responsible for the rules. They have officials for that.
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Except that in his scenario he speaks of pickup games and touch football. Neither have officials and are self policing as well.
 
Only 14 my friend ..... Most times 13....missing a hybrid..
 
I carry 12 clubs, and most of the tiem confuse myself to the point of grabbing teh wrong one...oops
 
I only carry 14, but could get away with only 13, I don't think I have ever used my 3 hybrid. To be honest I don't really care how many people carry though. You still have to make the shot no matter how many clubs you have so I don't really see how it's relevant.
 
Wait, so not following the 14 club rule is akin to running red lights now? Are we to assume that every once in awhile that 15th club is going to cause a death or serious injury?
 
Hawk said:
Wait, so not following the 14 club rule is akin to running red lights now? Are we to assume that every once in awhile that 15th club is going to cause a death or serious injury?
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Only if someone is sitting in the patio to the left of you when you tee off.
 
Degoins said:
Only if someone is sitting in the patio to the left of you when you tee off.
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LOL! To be fair, that was my 14th club and there was a screen. It was Florida, after all.
 
Hawk said:
Wait, so not following the 14 club rule is akin to running red lights now? Are we to assume that every once in awhile that 15th club is going to cause a death or serious injury?
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+2. Life is short..........
 
long&straight said:
Since 95% of us are playing just for fun, does anyone here throw an extra couple of clubs in the bag to go over the 14 club rule? Or is this just as bad as dropping a ball by a hazard and saying that you found the ball playable?
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To me the "fun" is in playing by the rules and trying to shoot the best score I can. I don't think we should pick and choose which rules we play by. With that said to each their own.
 
I am carrying and walking tomorrow, and am only taking 12. Normally 13.
 
long&straight said:
Since 95% of us are playing just for fun, does anyone here throw an extra couple of clubs in the bag to go over the 14 club rule? Or is this just as bad as dropping a ball by a hazard and saying that you found the ball playable?

I actually leave 2 clubs in the car just so I do not break this rule but was in a situation on Sunday that I could have used one of the clubs in the car.
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Nah, if a person can't do it with 14 clubs, he ain't gonna be any better with 15 or 16. It's called analysis paralysis. Besides, I keep my scorecards and they'd be moot if I didn't play the rules.
 
If carrying 15 clubs helps you enjoy the game more, then by all means enjoy the game however you want. As long as it doesn't affect me.
 
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