What's wrong with this picture?

[Gary Hill]

A few weeks ago in the final round of Buick Open, Tom Lehman arrived at the tee with 15 clubs. He declared his 5 wood out of play and started the round. He must have gone brain dead because on the ninth hole he used that 5 wood and was immediately disqualified.

Can anyone explain why the Rules official made a huge mistake?

Free golf tip #1: If you discovery that you have an excess club, turn it upside down in your bag. You will be less likely to accidentally use it.

Free golf tip #2: If you are asked to move your marker, hold your putter by the head instead of the grip until you have replaced your marker. This will remind you that your marker is in the wrong place. It sounds stupid but it really works!

[spidey]

Rule 4-4

A player can only start a round with a maximum of 14 clubs. The official should have made that clear. If he has declared a club out of play, then he must have been assessed a penalty. 2 strokes per hole after discovery, maximum 4 strokes per round assessed on the first two holes.

(is there some kind of exception on the Tours that allow them to declare clubs out of play without penalty, which is not in the rules, or otherwise applied to normal RCGA/USGA/R&A golf?)

spidey

[Gary Hill]

The assessment of penalty strokes is a moot point. Lehman was disqualified.

There is no Tour exemption in this case.

Something else is wrong.

[Kilroy]

I am with spidey here... why was he allowed to tee off with it in the bag?

USGA Rule 4-4. Maximum of Fourteen Clubs

The player shall start a stipulated round with not more than fourteen clubs.

Penalty in stroke play - Two strokes for each hole at which any breach occurred; maximum penalty per round: four strokes.

I guess the penalty should have been 4 strokes, since he played all holes with 15 clubs in the bag, not DQ

[Gary Hill]

You are right Dan.

He was properly DQ'd when he used it, but he should never have been allowed to start the round with it in his bag.

The Rules appropriately penalize a player for discovering an excess club during the round, but do not allow the player to start with excesss clubs or declare clubs out of play before the round starts.

[spidey]

What gives?... Do you have it in for spidey?

Seems I said the same thing as Dan, but you figure he's right and I'm not?

spidey said....
A player can only start a round with a maximum of 14 clubs. The official should have made that clear. If he has declared a club out of play, then he must have been assessed a penalty.

If the official had not assessed him a penalty for carrying 15 clubs........???

spidey
:mad:

[Gary Hill]

spidey.. What can I say... He's the boss!!!!

Seriously, Dan said the magic words I was looking for. "Why was he allowed to tee off with it in the bag?"

You were correct in the description of penalties applied "upon discovery" of an exceess club.

However, I was trying to point out that there is difference between discovery of an excess club during the round and knowingly starting a round with 15 clubs even though you have declared one out of play before the round. Neither is allowed.

I apologize for designating Dan as the "winner".

[Kilroy]

LOL!
Darn it. I ilke this game too. I wanna play!

[spidey]

I agree Dan should be in too.

And I'll also try to word my responses in a clearer way. I have to admit that it may be only me that thinks that what I said is the same thing that Gary was looking for.

better luck next time, spidey...

spidey

[Gary Hill]

Ok, I rule joint custody with Dan having additional privileges on weekends in the summer and spidey having additional privileges on statutory holidays.