Was playing in club championship last Sunday and one player's ball was very close to the white stake, he ask if he could remove the stake and we said no, his ball was in bound but in tall grass ( too much rain and too much trim to do on the course), he proceed to punch the ball out, in his first attempt he broke the stake in half, his second attempt he did punch the ball out. When he added his score he did add a stroke for the stake and another to punch the ball out.
Now since golf rules are so idiotic sometimes, is there a rule that will apply here, like consider improving his lie after he broke the stake?