Hi Linda,
If a person scores a great round in a competition that requires using only five
clubs, why can't that score be posted for handicapping? I know that the USGA says no, but what is the rationale? I can see that high scores would elevate a person's handicap, but to penalize a person who had the best score of her life; it doesn't seem right. Am I missing something here?
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
It is clear from your question that you understand that you are not permitted to post a score when one of the conditions of the competition is that the maximum number of clubs that may be used is less than 14.
Most players would find themselves at a disadvantage playing with only five clubs, and would be likely to score higher than what is normally a typical score for them. Clearly you had a very successful day carrying five clubs. I hope that you lapped the field with your great score and were generously rewarded!
Here is the rationale for not being permitted to post in this situation:
• Rule 4-4a limits golfers to a maximum of 14 clubs. A player has the option to carry less than 14 clubs; if he does so, the choice is his.
• When a player is informed he may carry a maximum of five clubs (as was the case in your tournament), he is playing under a condition that breaks a rule of golf; under the rules, he would be permitted to carry as many as 14.
• A player is not permitted to post a score when he does not play under the Rules of Golf.
You may have inadvertently made an important personal discovery. Perhaps the limited club selection freed your mind from worrying which would be the best club to use for each shot, thereby encouraging you to be creative in the shots you hit with the few clubs at your disposal. Alternately, you may have just been lucky. Why don’t you experiment with carrying fewer than 14 clubs and see if this has a positive effect on your game? I have not been able to find a rule that prohibits experimentation!
Linda
Copyright © 2008 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
