LPGA Player DQed for Playing Damaged Club

[iacas]

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/rules-violation-causes-lpga-veteran-lee-anne-pace-to-be-disqualified-mid-round

She damaged the club outside of normal usage (slammed in a bit of anger), and played shots with it.

[scotth]

That's a pretty expensive fit of anger.  

[dennyjones]

She couldn't tell it was damaged when she hit it against the stake?   

[Carl3]

From the article: "Rule 4-3b came up, which clearly states that a club damaged during a stipulated round other than in the normal course of play cannot be subsequently used or replaced.

For some people this does represent the normal course of play 😊

 

Edited June 30, 2018 by Carl3
typo

[MarvChamp]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/rules-violation-causes-lpga-veteran-lee-anne-pace-to-be-disqualified-mid-round

She damaged the club outside of normal usage (slammed in a bit of anger), and played shots with it.

Interesting that she called over a rules official to discuss. I wonder if she knew the rule at that time? Clearly she knew it when she walked off. (I would not have known.) But her playing the damaged club was intentional though it doesn't matter; her angry outburst was.  -Marv

[Fourputt]

It's important to note that for this rule to be in effect, the damage must cause the club to be nonconforming.  If the damage was such that the club still conformed to the rules then using it would still be allowed.  

[Shindig]

58 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

It's important to note that for this rule to be in effect, the damage must cause the club to be nonconforming.  If the damage was such that the club still conformed to the rules then using it would still be allowed.  

What sort of damage can I do to a club during a round that allows me to still use it?  

12+ years of playing, still haven't thrown a club, so I'm not too worried about it for me, I'm just wondering. 

-----

Also a reminder, as long as this is a rules discussion:  if you do break it in the course of play (such as breaking the shaft when hitting a shot up against a tree, as Tiger did at the Masters one year), you can replace it if you can do so without undue delay (such as if Nike's tour van had still been there at the time, they could have sent one out to him... not sure how one of us could do this).  If you break it not in the course of play, you don't get to replace it.

[iacas]

1 minute ago, Shindig said:

not sure how one of us could do this

By getting a replacement from your locker at the turn, or calling the pro shop and having them bring a club out to you.

And the replacement just has to be a legal club, not a similar club. So you break your pitching wedge… you can add a new driver.

Hopefully we aren't out there busting our clubs too often, though…

[billchao]

1 hour ago, Shindig said:

What sort of damage can I do to a club during a round that allows me to still use it? 

I slammed a pitching wedge against the ground during the round once and it hit a rock which put a ding into the sole of the club. Damaged and still conforming.

Good on her for doing the right thing after a childish rules violation 

[colin007]

I'm wondering what damage she did to make it non confirming tho....

[billchao]

1 minute ago, colin007 said:

I'm wondering what damage she did to make it non confirming tho....

She probably bent the shaft.

[Fourputt]

23 hours ago, Shindig said:

What sort of damage can I do to a club during a round that allows me to still use it?  

12+ years of playing, still haven't thrown a club, so I'm not too worried about it for me, I'm just wondering. 

-----

You could put a bad ding in the face, or where the sole and the face meet, something bad enough to possibly cause a poor shot if you hit the ball right on that spot, yet it could still be conforming and usable.    

[dennyjones]

7 hours ago, Fourputt said:

bad ding in the face

this wouldn't make the grooves non-conforming?  I'm guessing any deformation would make the club non-conforming.  

[Fourputt]

23 minutes ago, dennyjones said:

this wouldn't make the grooves non-conforming?  I'm guessing any deformation would make the club non-conforming.  

That should come under the 4-1 for normal wear.  It's not unusual to strike a rock or such during normal play, so as long as the damage does not directly cause the club to be nonconforming, play with it should be allowed.  Damage or wear on the grooves from normal play does not in itself make a club nonconforming.  Attempting to "repair" them with a groove tool which could make them nonconforming might not be allowed.

Edited July 1, 2018 by Fourputt

[Papa Steve 55]

Not really familiar with her, but love that fact that she did not add any drama to the situation. People taking personal responsibility in the 'its not my fault' era are to be respected.