Breaking a club on the course...what do the rules say??

[ringin]

We can thank Tiger for this question, but I thought it would be good to find out what one's options are when a club is broken on the golf course. Can you replace the club if broken during normal play? How about if you throw it in a lake or wrap it around a tree? What if you're just leaning on your putter and it breaks...can it be replaced? (I had this happen). What does the rulebook say about these situations.

[halk]

You can replace a club if it is broken by accident if it is broken in angry, thrown in a lake thrown against a tree or cart etc. you can not replace, leaning on a putter and it breaks does not fall under angry. I do not have a rule book with me but could not see how leaning on it would fall under the rule of non replacement.

[pick-it-up]

http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/bo...ule04.html#4-3

[ringin]

Ok..those are good to know.

Does anyone know what Tiger did after he snapped the iron? Does he have a full spec set on standby in the Nike van? Does the Nike Van tech throw a 5 iron together for him really quick? Just curious what he did after that if anyone has some insight. I don't recall hearing any of the announcers mention a thing about it after it happened.

[tmtp]

The vans have to leave the site before the tournament starts, so they weren't there.

[Butter Knife Guy]

Originally Posted by ringin

Ok..those are good to know.

Does anyone know what Tiger did after he snapped the iron? Does he have a full spec set on standby in the Nike van? Does the Nike Van tech throw a 5 iron together for him really quick? Just curious what he did after that if anyone has some insight. I don't recall hearing any of the announcers mention a thing about it after it happened.

I think it was mentioned that he had a spare iron set in his locker in the clubhouse, or something along those lines. The tour vans aren't on site at Augusta, so throwing another together is really out of the question.

[milner_7]

he did nothing. he was talking about it in a post round interview. he had a 4 iron shot after that and he had to use his 5 iron and really give'r.

[Fileygolfer]

If you break a club in the normal execution of a golf shot or a club becomes unplayable through normal wear and tear you can replace it if you do not cause an interuption to play.

In the 1975 Open Qualifying at St. Andrews Hedley Muscroft was involved in a Play-Off for a place at Carnoustie when he found his Persimmon Driver was split on the 18th tee. He hit this Driver up 18 and the head broke and bounced up the fairway and into the Swilken Burn to the great delight of the watching crowd. He sent his caddie off to his car to fetch a replacement Driver and hit that down the 1st. He won a place at Carnoustie on the 5th extra hole.

The RofG allow you to also add a club to make up 14 during a round too.

[JungleJ]

Originally Posted by Fileygolfer

If you break a club in the normal execution of a golf shot or a club becomes unplayable through normal wear and tear you can replace it if you do not cause an interuption to play.

In the 1975 Open Qualifying at St. Andrews Hedley Muscroft was involved in a Play-Off for a place at Carnoustie when he found his Persimmon Driver was split on the 18th tee. He hit this Driver up 18 and the head broke and bounced up the fairway and into the Swilken Burn to the great delight of the watching crowd. He sent his caddie off to his car to fetch a replacement Driver and hit that down the 1st. He won a place at Carnoustie on the 5th extra hole.

The RofG allow you to also add a club to make up 14 during a round too.

I believe that because a play-off is not a "stipulated round" you can also change the clubs in your bag before the play-off begins - Phil Mickelson did this a few years ago.

[Fileygolfer]

Originally Posted by JungleJ

I believe that because a play-off is not a "stipulated round" you can also change the clubs in your bag before the play-off begins - Phil Mickelson did this a few years ago.

Yes your right.
Because a Play-Off in Stroke Play is technically a new start, you can change clubs before you tee off the 1st extra hole. But I would double check this rule if I was playing Match-Play and going to the 19th as this may still be classed as a stipulated round.