DQ due to a Non-Conforming wedge

[Divot Tool]

For those who are planning to play in any USGA sanctioned tournament, let this be a lesson learned.

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/blogs/hotlist365/2011/05/why-bad-things-keep-happening.html

I feel bad for the kid, but in this instance it really hurts when you don't do your homework, especially considering this was Local Qualifying.  II believe that the majority of people on this forum (equipment junkies) would have known immediately that the Vokey wedge in question was non-conforming.

Tough Luck.

[ND Fan]

The USGA is a pile of crap.

When they install rules like this they should have a couple hundred brand new wedges on hand to swap with amateurs who have spent their hard earned money on their equipment.  I am kinda glad my USGA days are done.

It's a damned stupid ruling any way. it should be either conforming or not the day they make that ruling. No exceptions no delays.

The grooves haven't done a bit of damage to the game or the tour, but yet here we are.

[sean_miller]

I found the bit I underlined very interesting. So apparently after the competition is closed it's still possible to be DQ'd for an equipment violation? Is that distinction specified in the rules somewhere? Does that mean anthing to anyone else?

"The USGA strongly suggests that all players verify the conformance of their clubs well in advance of their scheduled qualifying competition. It is the player's responsibility - not the USGA's responsibility - to ensure that their clubs conform. Waiting until the day of the competition is the fault of the player. The Committee is under no obligation to test the club the competitor may play. If it is later determined that the club is non-conforming, including after the competition has closed, the player will be disqualified ."

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/blogs/hotlist365/2011/05/why-bad-things-keep-happening.html#ixzz1MWyFfJlY "

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I found the bit I underlined very interesting. So apparently after the competition is closed it's still possible to be DQ'd for an equipment violation? Is that distinction specified in the rules somewhere? Does that mean anthing to anyone else?

"The USGA strongly suggests that all players verify the conformance of their clubs well in advance of their scheduled qualifying competition. It is the player's responsibility - not the USGA's responsibility - to ensure that their clubs conform. Waiting until the day of the competition is the fault of the player. The Committee is under no obligation to test the club the competitor may play. If it is later determined that the club is non-conforming, including after the competition has closed, the player will be disqualified."

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/blogs/hotlist365/2011/05/why-bad-things-keep-happening.html#ixzz1MWyFfJlY"

It is the player's responsibility to know whether his clubs conform to the rules of the competition.  Because of that responsibility, the player is deemed to have knowingly played with nonconfoming clubs to gain an advantage on the field, thus there is no statute of limitations on disqualification.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by ND Fan

The USGA is a pile of crap.

When they install rules like this they should have a couple hundred brand new wedges on hand to swap with amateurs who have spent their hard earned money on their equipment.  I am kinda glad my USGA days are done.

It's a damned stupid ruling any way. it should be either conforming or not the day they make that ruling. No exceptions no delays.

The grooves haven't done a bit of damage to the game or the tour, but yet here we are.

My, someone got up cranky this morning.  This isn't a revelation.  It's been discussed in in the news on TV, on many tournament broadcasts, on golf forums ad nauseum.  The information was widely available.  Some people just need a wake-up call.  Guess he just got his.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

It is the player's responsibility to know whether his clubs conform to the rules of the competition.  Because of that responsibility, the player is deemed to have knowingly played with nonconfoming clubs to gain an advantage on the field, thus there is no statute of limitations on disqualification.

Good to know - thank you!

[Clambake]

This really isn't a case about wedges being conforming or not but is more a case about a player using borrowed equipment and not verifying that equipment meets the rules of play.     Quoting from the article:

"He realized his regular wedges, which are OK for elite amateur play until 2014, would not be allowed in the local qualifier being played Tuesday. So after a buddy told him he could borrow his wedges, which he said were conforming, Fontaine thought he was good to go."

The player was indeed aware of the USGA rules on conforming wedges and knew that his were not.    But someone else loaned him some equipment and the player did not do his diligence in ensuring the equipment was acceptable.   This could happen with a wedge, a driver, putter, golf balls.....any equipment which someone gives you.     It isn't hard to determine if your equipment meets the rules or not, and it is the players responsibility to check.   In this case he did not.

[ElWagonne]

This is a tough break, but the part that concerns me about the article is that the discovery potentially involved what can be generally described as a 'snitch'.  My comprehension of the article says that either 1) one of his playing competitors possibly knew of the wedge all along, allowed him to play with it, then at the end alerted officials or 2) someone on the fringe of advancing was looking in peoples' bags, looking to find a non-conforming wedge, found one then alerted officials.  All in all, if I qualified as a result of this, I'd take the bid, but it would feel a little cheap.

[TourSpoon]

I was thinking the same thing. I would not have took a buddies word for it. I am not even on the level of having to worry about conformity, but I do know that my Vokey wedges are not even close.  I think that the player should have looked at the USGA's conforming list.  I found my clubs in less than 2 minutes at:

http://www.usga.org/infoclubsdb/intro.html

[zeg]

It's unfortunate for the guy, and while I'm sure his intentions were honest, he screwed up and the committee is unquestionably doing the right thing here.  The rule is clear, the method for verifying that your club conforms is straightforward, and if you're not sure, you can pick up a guaranteed-conforming wedge from any sporting goods store for $100 or less.  "Meaning" to follow the rules is not the same as following the rules.

[Shindig]

This is a tough break, but the part that concerns me about the article is that the discovery potentially involved what can be generally described as a 'snitch'.  My comprehension of the article says that either 1) one of his playing competitors possibly knew of the wedge all along, allowed him to play with it, then at the end alerted officials or 2) someone on the fringe of advancing was looking in peoples' bags, looking to find a non-conforming wedge, found one then alerted officials.  All in all, if I qualified as a result of this, I'd take the bid, but it would feel a little cheap.

This depends on when the fellow competitor discovered it. If I were playing in this, and suspected one of my fellow competitors had a non-conforming wedge _after he had used it_, I'd keep quiet until the end. The penalty is DQ for it, so it's not like it's just penalty shots he can try to get back (as if I had noticed 16 clubs on the second tee). There's no need to alert him during the round; if it's a false positive, it may only serve to hurt him by saying it.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by ElWagonne

This is a tough break, but the part that concerns me about the article is that the discovery potentially involved what can be generally described as a 'snitch'.  My comprehension of the article says that either 1) one of his playing competitors possibly knew of the wedge all along, allowed him to play with it, then at the end alerted officials or 2) someone on the fringe of advancing was looking in peoples' bags, looking to find a non-conforming wedge, found one then alerted officials.  All in all, if I qualified as a result of this, I'd take the bid, but it would feel a little cheap.

Maybe he suspected the club, but didn't want to affect the outcome in case he was wrong. Ultimately he had to voice his concerns or he was breaking the rules as well.