For most players, the difficulty of the course set-up and extreme pressure of the U.S. Open can lead to tension and frustration. During the final round at Congressional we got a glimpse at how frustrating it can be when Henrik Stenson, following an errant shot, slammed his club in anger, snapping the shaft and cutting his finger.
Could Stenson have replaced the broken club to complete his round? Rule 4-3 addresses what you can and can’t do when a club has been damaged. It states that during a round, if a club becomes damaged and is rendered unfit for play during the normal course of play, it can be replaced with a different club. The two key phrases to focus on are: “unfit for play” and “normal course of play.”
A club is considered “unfit for play” if the shaft is dented, significantly bent or is broken into pieces, or if the clubhead or grip have become loose. In order to be able to replace such a club, the damage must have occurred during the “normal course of play” which includes the accidental and commonplace occurrences that can take place during a round of golf. Obviously things can happen to the shaft or club head while making a stroke or even a practice stroke, but other examples include if the player should slip and fall on a club or if the player was using the club as a cane and bent it.
Everyone watching the broadcast saw that Stenson broke his club in anger and clearly not in the normal course of play. Therefore he was not entitled to replace his club. Now, if he had started his round with fewer than the maximum allowed 14 clubs, he could have gotten club to replace the one he broke, but only because he would be adding to his total number of clubs as permitted in Rule 4-4.
In cases when a player is permitted to replace a club or add another to his arsenal, he has some limitations regarding time and how the club is obtained. He must not unduly delay play, meaning if a club breaks a considerable distance from the clubhouse, he would be delaying play by going to retrieve another club. However, he could ask his caddie or a spectator to go the clubhouse for him. Also, the Rules prohibit him from borrowing a club from another player currently playing on the course, but he can borrow one from a spectator or have a club delivered from a player before or after their round.
Note also that according to Rule 4-3, a club has NOT become unfit for play if only the loft or lie have changed. Even though the club may not be replaced in this case, the player may attempt to have it repaired or just play with it in its new state.
In Stenson’s case, he had to finish the round without his 7-iron and gash in his finger that would possible need stitches. Perhaps a little anger management would help his course management!
