Dear Linda,
For your consideration…
Circumstances of
Events:
1) Two Players from the one Team are over near the
Practice Putting Green. Player A was Putting and Player B was Chipping.
2) All Teams were called to the first Tee Box area and
Player B inadvertently but his wedge into Player A’s bag.
3) This meant, as both Players walked to the Tee Box
area, Player A has a total of 14 Clubs, the 13 selected for play, plus the
additional wedge put into his bag by Player B. Player B now only has
13 Clubs in his bag.
4) Player A Tees off and later, in another group, Player B
Tees off. Some time into the round, Player B is in need of his wedge, but it
cannot be found in his bag. He suspects he may have left it at the Practice
Green and requested his Manager to go and see if it can be located.
5) The Manager cannot locate the wedge, however, some holes
later, Player A discovers he has Player B’s wedge in his bag --- he
has not made a Stroke with this wedge.
Consider:
1) The matter of Excess Clubs: Rule 4-4, does not come
in for consideration, as both Players did not start with more than 14 Clubs.
2) Under Rule 4-4a, a Player is limited to the Clubs
selected for play for that round, except, if he started with fewer than 14
Clubs, he may add any number, provided the total number does not exceed 14
clubs.
3) In addition to 2) above, Rule 4-4 also states, the Player
must not add or borrow any club selected for play by any other person playing
on the Course.
4) In this case, Player A did not select the wedge for play
and the fact that it was inadvertently put into his bag does not change the
status of that club, that being, it was not selected for play.
5) Although the wedge was not selected for play, Player A started
the round with this wedge and before starting a round, there is an onus on
every player to ensure the clubs he has in his bag are not only correct in
total, but they are also his clubs.
6) Player A had plenty of time to check his clubs before the
start of his round and the fact that he failed to do so, means he must suffer
any consequence of such an oversight.
7) Player B also had plenty of time to check his clubs and
again, failure to do so, must rest with him.
8) On the basis of 5), 6) and 7) above, there is a strong
argument to refuse the return of the wedge to Player B, as both Players had
ample time to check (“select”) their clubs, prior to the round.
9) However, on the other hand, as the wedge was not selected
for play by Player A, it might be said it does not count in his clubs selected
for the round and it would be fair for him to return it to Player B and permit
Player B to use the wedge, for the remainder of the round.
10) The Decisions Book does not specifically consider these
set of circumstances. However, reference to D4-4a/1, D4-4a/5, D4-4a/5.5 and
D4-4a/6 may permit a view to be formed.
The Question:
1) Is Player A entitled to return the wedge to Player B?
2) In these circumstances, is Player B entitled to add to
his clubs from another Player on the Course?
3) Is Player B entitled to make a stroke with the wedge, if
it is returned to him?
I look forward to your views and hope my own Opinion has not
been displayed in any manner, as I have attempted to put forward both sides of
the “argument” even-handedly.
Kind regards,
Lou from Ireland
Dear Lou,
Sometimes simple logic and common sense will provide an
answer for you.
Here are the answers to your three questions:
1. Player A may and should return the wedge to Player B. The
club belongs to Player B, and is one he selected for play.
2. Player B is not adding a club selected for play by
another person playing on the course. Player A did not select the club, and he
did not use it.
3. Player B is entitled to use the returned wedge. It is one
of the 14 clubs he selected for play, and the addition of that club does not
exceed the 14-club limit.
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
