23.11.04

2004 #12 Borrowing Clubs

THE SCENE:
You are playing in a team event. You and your 3 partners are heading for the green on hole #7 when you realize your putter is missing. You chipped in on hole #6 (hallelujah!). So the last time you remember using your putter was on hole #5. You must have left it there.


What would you do?

A  Putt with your driver? (It has the straightest side)

B  Borrow a club from a team mate?
 
The Correct answer is A.
 
Many of you think that you are allowed to borrow a club from a partner, or team mate because Rule #4-4b says:
Partners May Share Clubs.


But if you read the small print that follows it says
Partners may share clubs, PROVIDED that the total number of clubs carried by the partners so sharing does not exceed fourteen.

That doesn’t mean that you can have 14 clubs and your partner can have 14 clubs. It means the total carried by both of you can’t exceed 14 - if the two of you are going to share clubs.
 
Otherwise you will be penalized 2 strokes for each hole where you borrowed a club, with a maximum 4 stroke penalty.

REMEMBER: Unless you want a 4-stroke penalty, don't borrow a club. Putt with your driver, or another club.

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