Finding a club on the course

[DrvFrShow]

You're in a tournament. You're in a foursome. Everyone is walking. Everyone has 14 clubs in the bag. You find a club on the course probably left by a previous foursome. You want to return it to the pro shop at the turn or after the round.

This actually happened last year. I picked up the club and said it was someone else's and declared it out of play. It was a Ping Serena and I play Cobra. We knew whose it was. Two groups ahead. I got everyone in my foursome to agree that it was not part of my club set and that it was a club out of play. I know that technically we agreed to waive a rule regarding 15 clubs. But really there was no other way around this unless I just left it in the middle of the fairway for someone else to deal with. There were no officials at the tournament since it was a club tournament. If there were I would have called for an official and handed them the club. 

So what's the correct procedure under the rules?

[iacas]

11 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

I know that technically we agreed to waive a rule regarding 15 clubs.

No you didn't.

4-4a/8 Retrieving Another Player's Lost Club

Q.A player carrying 14 clubs found another player's club on the course. He picked up the lost club, put it in his bag but did not use it, and handed it in at the pro shop when the round was completed. Was the player in breach of Rule 4-4a for carrying 15 clubs?

A.No.

The correct procedure is that you realize you haven't done anything wrong, even if you find the club on the first fairway and carry it with you for 17+ holes.

[Fourputt]

12 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

You're in a tournament. You're in a foursome. Everyone is walking. Everyone has 14 clubs in the bag. You find a club on the course probably left by a previous foursome. You want to return it to the pro shop at the turn or after the round.

This actually happened last year. I picked up the club and said it was someone else's and declared it out of play. It was a Ping Serena and I play Cobra. We knew whose it was. Two groups ahead. I got everyone in my foursome to agree that it was not part of my club set and that it was a club out of play. I know that technically we agreed to waive a rule regarding 15 clubs. But really there was no other way around this unless I just left it in the middle of the fairway for someone else to deal with. There were no officials at the tournament since it was a club tournament. If there were I would have called for an official and handed them the club. 

So what's the correct procedure under the rules?

You didn't waive anything.  as long as it was immediately declared out of play and not used, you have no worries.

Quote

4-4a/8

 

Retrieving Another Player's Lost Club

Q.A player carrying 14 clubs found another player's club on the course. He picked up the lost club, put it in his bag but did not use it, and handed it in at the pro shop when the round was completed. Was the player in breach of Rule 4-4a for carrying 15 clubs?

A.No.