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Does a dissassembled shaft and head in your bag count as a 15th club?

mark blanchard

mark blanchard

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What about if you have just an extra head, which takes the same shaft and tip as an assembled club you're playing? What if you have just an extra shaft sticking?

I dunno. One buddy said it counts, another said it doesn't. One said you can't touch a club with a wrench in a round so it doesn't count, another said Phil got permission to re-tighten a loose head in a tournament. I'm sure it's in the rule book somewhere, but one of you can just tell me faster than I can find it.
 
No, but should you break a club you can not assemble it and use it "during a stipulated round". You can use any other club to replace it EXCEPT a club from another player playing on the course.

[h=3]4-3. Damaged Clubs: Repair and Replacement[/h][h=4]a. Damage in Normal Course of Play[/h]If, during a stipulated round, a player’s club is damaged in the normal course of play, he may:
(i) use the club in its damaged state for the remainder of the stipulated round; or
(ii) without unduly delaying play, repair it or have it repaired; or
(iii) as an additional option available only if the club is unfit for play, replace the damaged club with any club. The replacement of a club must not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7) and must not be made by borrowing any club selected for play by any other person playing on the course or by assembling components carried by or for the player during the stipulated round.
 
mark blanchard said:
What about if you have just an extra head, which takes the same shaft and tip as an assembled club you're playing? What if you have just an extra shaft sticking?

I dunno. One buddy said it counts, another said it doesn't. One said you can't touch a club with a wrench in a round so it doesn't count, another said Phil got permission to re-tighten a loose head in a tournament. I'm sure it's in the rule book somewhere, but one of you can just tell me faster than I can find it.
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He got permission to tighten the head back down. He didn't make any adjustments, so yeah, that was ok.

I would see no issue with a club head in the bag, but would think better safe than sorry since you can't switch it anyway, why have it in there?
 
The rules don't mention that situation - nor do the decisions. I will bet there is a note on it by next year though. Tightening wouldn't be adjusting or changing so under the rules it shouldn't be a problem.
 
I heard Rory used to keep an extra driver head in his bag for when he busted his covert
 
Tedfroop said:
No, but should you break a club you can not assemble it and use it "during a stipulated round". You can use any other club to replace it EXCEPT a club from another player playing on the course.

4-3. Damaged Clubs: Repair and Replacement

a. Damage in Normal Course of Play

If, during a stipulated round, a player’s club is damaged in the normal course of play, he may:

(iii) as an additional option available only if the club is unfit for play, replace the damaged club with any club. The replacement of a club must not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7) and must not be made by assembling components carried by or for the player during the stipulated round.
Click to expand...

this is sort of useless if you ask me. You can replace a damaged club but If you cant carry and extra club to begin with (if over 14) and you cant assemble anything carried then how in the world would you replace a club without delay. Where would the replacement club come from. A spectator?, spontanious combustion?, I dont get it. Run back to your car and grab one without delay? the point is moot, dont ya think? Or am i overlooking something?
 
I snapped the shaft off my 8i in a tournament on the 3rd hole several years ago. I struck a tree in my follow thru - put the ball on the green and saved my par.

Called the pro shop while walking to the green. The assistant pro brought me a replacement 8i which I hit on the very next hole...

The rule worked well for me that day.
 
Probably meant for tour players who will have tour vans which can send out a replacement club right away for them. Can be for amateurs also, if I am making the turn after 9 I could see running to the car to grab a different driver if I broke one. Sometimes I have extra clubs in my trunk if I was at the driving range testing something.
 
I carry 15 clubs because I have a 3i and 3H in my bag but only play one depending on how I'm feeling that day. My car is too far away so I have a red bag I put on the head of the club I'm not playing to designate it as a training aid. I'm writing to the USGA to see if they can allow for this in competition so I can be lazy and not have to go back to my car =)

I'll ask them about the extra shaft thing when I email as well. Cause if you don't use it, it's just an alignment rod =)
 
ChristopherKee said:
My car is too far away so I have a red bag I put on the head of the club I'm not playing to designate it as a training aid. I'm writing to the USGA to see if they can allow for this in competition so I can be lazy and not have to go back to my car )
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I don't think designating a club as out of play won't work. Don't think saying it is a training aid would work either
 
Smallville said:
I don't think designating a club as out of play won't work. Don't think saying it is a training aid would work either
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Probably not, but It's much easier to type an email and request a change than walk all the way to my car every time.. LOL
 
ChristopherKee said:
Probably not, but It's much easier to type an email and request a change than walk all the way to my car every time.. LOL
Click to expand...

This might save you some time:

DECLARING EXCESS CLUB OUT OF PLAY
Decision 4-4c/1
Excess Club Declared Out of Play Before Round and Placed on Floor of Golf Cart

Q.Before the start of a round, a player discovers that there are 15 clubs in his golf bag. He declares one of the clubs out of play, removes it from his bag, places it on the floor of his golf cart and begins the round. Is the player subject to penalty?

A.Yes, for starting the round with more than 14 clubs. Rule 4-4c has to do with declaring an excess club out of play on discovery of a breach after a round has started. There is nothing in the Rules to permit carrying, during a round, an excess club declared out of play before the round.
 
Smallville said:
This might save you some time:

DECLARING EXCESS CLUB OUT OF PLAY
Decision 4-4c/1
Excess Club Declared Out of Play Before Round and Placed on Floor of Golf Cart

Q.Before the start of a round, a player discovers that there are 15 clubs in his golf bag. He declares one of the clubs out of play, removes it from his bag, places it on the floor of his golf cart and begins the round. Is the player subject to penalty?

A.Yes, for starting the round with more than 14 clubs. Rule 4-4c has to do with declaring an excess club out of play on discovery of a breach after a round has started. There is nothing in the Rules to permit carrying, during a round, an excess club declared out of play before the round.
Click to expand...


Argh!.. I'm working on them to change this for me! Maybe if I make it so I can pull the head off it will comply as below gives the answer to the first questions in this thread.

mark blanchard said:
What about if you have just an extra head, which takes the same shaft and tip as an assembled club you're playing? What if you have just an extra shaft sticking?

I dunno. One buddy said it counts, another said it doesn't. One said you can't touch a club with a wrench in a round so it doesn't count, another said Phil got permission to re-tighten a loose head in a tournament. I'm sure it's in the rule book somewhere, but one of you can just tell me faster than I can find it.
Click to expand...


Q.Rules 4-3a(iii) and 4-4a provide that the replacement or addition of a club must not be made by assembling components carried by or for the player during the stipulated round. What is the ruling in the following situations:

  1. During a stipulated round, a player carries a clubhead and a shaft (i.e., components) that are capable of being assembled into a club, but he does not assemble the components?
  2. During the stipulated round, components from the clubhouse are assembled off the course and then brought to the player, who uses the assembled club as a replacement for a club that has been damaged in the normal course of play or as an additional club when the player started with fewer than 14 clubs?
  3. During the stipulated round, components brought to the player from the clubhouse are assembled on the course, and the assembled club is used as a replacement for a club that has been damaged in the normal course of play or as an additional club when the player started with fewer than 14 clubs?
A.1. A separate clubhead and shaft do not constitute a club. Therefore, the separate clubhead and shaft do not count towards the number of clubs the player may carry under Rule 4-4a. However, regardless of the number of clubs carried, it is not permissible to assemble a clubhead and shaft carried by or for the player during the stipulated round. Consequently, if the player did replace or add a club by assembling components carried by or for him during the round, the player would be penalized under Rule 4-3a(iii) or Rule 4-4a, as applicable.
 
Wow, this turned out to be more complicated than I thought. So if I tote all my driver components around to fiddle at the range, I'm okay to leave 'em in my bag while I continue the round, but they do me no good if I do. I'd be better off to put them in the car or proshop, so I could use them at the turn if some one else assembles them? (Cause I can't, right?)
 
I use an old shaft, for an alignment rod. I've never even thought I it being counted as a club.


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Barry870 said:
I use an old shaft, for an alignment rod. I've never even thought I it being counted as a club.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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It's not a club, but if used during a round it is illegal!
 
I only use it on the range. It doesn't do me any good, on the course.


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That's like saying a ball retriever counts as a club lol


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If it's not assembled its not a club. If you had an extra hossle adapter in your bag would that be considered a club?
 
Yeah, but laying either shaft or ball retriever on the ground as an alignment aid is the illegal part.
 
Tedfroop said:
No, but should you break a club you can not assemble it and use it "during a stipulated round". You can use any other club to replace it EXCEPT a club from another player playing on the course.

4-3. Damaged Clubs: Repair and Replacement

a. Damage in Normal Course of Play

If, during a stipulated round, a player’s club is damaged in the normal course of play, he may:
(i) use the club in its damaged state for the remainder of the stipulated round; or
(ii) without unduly delaying play, repair it or have it repaired; or
(iii) as an additional option available only if the club is unfit for play, replace the damaged club with any club. The replacement of a club must not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7) and must not be made by borrowing any club selected for play by any other person playing on the course or by assembling components carried by or for the player during the stipulated round.
Click to expand...

Is there anything that defines "unduly delay play"? My interpretation versus anyone else may be different? You may think you can take 5 minutes to run to the car where I think 30 seconds is a delay.
 
SaskeyInWash said:
Is there anything that defines "unduly delay play"? My interpretation versus anyone else may be different? You may think you can take 5 minutes to run to the car where I think 30 seconds is a delay.
Click to expand...

Nothing in the Rules or Decisions that I'm aware of.
 
SaskeyInWash said:
Is there anything that defines "unduly delay play"? My interpretation versus anyone else may be different? You may think you can take 5 minutes to run to the car where I think 30 seconds is a delay.
Click to expand...

As I understand it "undue delay" is subjective. If you get a friend to run to your car or locker or to the pro shop and bring the club back that would be undue delay. If you ran into the clubhouse and grabbed a club from your locker or from the pro shop at the turn, that would be undue delay.

Undue delay in my books would be anything that delays play and puts your group more than a hole behind the group in front of you.
 
Smallville said:
I don't think designating a club as out of play won't work. Don't think saying it is a training aid would work either
Click to expand...

USGA denied my request to make this a rule. I would post their reply but the reply specifically says I can't post it...
 
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