Rog’s Blog: Dodgy Decisions #3

 

We are all aware that Rule 4-4a deals with the requirement that a player may not start a stipulated round with more than fourteen clubs in his/her bag.

This appears quite clear but does raise the interesting question on when a player actually starts the round.

In the 2010-2011 Decisions Book, Decision 4-4a/6 read:

Excess Club Put in Player's Golf Bag After Player Has Counted His Clubs at 1st Tee; Error Discovered After Player Has Started Round

Q. A arrives at the 1st tee, counts his clubs and confirms that he is carrying 14. He then removes his driver from his golf bag, leaves the bag beside the tee and checks in with the starter. At this point, X, a player in another match or group, by mistake puts his putter in A's golf bag, which was identical to X's bag. A then drives from the 1st tee. During play of the 1st hole, A discovers that X's club has been put in his (A's) golf bag. Does A incur a penalty for starting the round with more than 14 clubs?

A. Yes.

 
Thus the distinction between reporting to the starter ready to begin the round and actually playing the first shot was made quite clear: the round did not begin until the first shot was played.

In the circumstances this was a ludicrous distinction, and, thereby, Decision. It meant that a player who was on the tee awaiting his/her turn to play after the starting time of the group  could be penalised for a club placed in his/her bag without his/her knowledge subsequent to his/her entering on to the tee.

In the 2012-2013 Decisions Book, this Decisions states:

4-4a/6
Excess Club Put in Player's Golf Bag

Q. A arrives at the 1st tee. After the match or group’s starting time while A is preparing to play his tee shot, B, his opponent or fellow-competitor, by mistake places his driver in A’s bag, which results in A having 15 clubs. A then drives from the 1st tee. During play of the 1st hole, A discovers that B’s club has been put in his (A’s) golf bag. Does A incur a penalty for starting the round with more than 14 clubs? 

A. No. Although A started the round with more than 14 clubs, A is not considered to have selected B’s club for play for the following reasons:

• the additional club was added to his bag by B on the 1st tee,

• the club was added after the match or group’s time of starting, and

• the club had already been selected for play by B.

Therefore A incurs no penalty, provided he does not make a stroke with B’s club. The club may be returned to B and used by him. 

The decision would be different, and A would be penalised under Rule 4-4a, if:

• the additional club had belonged to a player in another match or group,

• the club had been added before A’s match or group arrived on the tee, or

• the club had been added before A’s match or group’s time of starting.

 

So, to the credit of The Castle, common sense prevailed and the ridiculous situation arising from the 2010-2011 Decision was modified to provide that a player who had counted his/her clubs and had reported to the starter (or was actually on the tee waiting to play in turn) would not be held accountable for actions of others which occurred after that point.

But in revising the 2010-2011 Decision it seems that the CDs could not help themselves; instead of simply saying ‘no penalty’ they just had to complicate matters.

 

The final paragraph of the Decisions states that if the club which had been added did not belong to a member of the player’s group, ‘the decision would be different’ and the player ‘would be penalised’!

 

This would apply whether the person adding the club to the player’s bag was a caddie, a spectator, an official, or some other extraneous person.

Is there anyone who can proffer an explanation for this incredible proviso?

 
In my view this is not just a dodgy decision: it is quite bizarre.