Thursday, September 12, 2013

Ask Linda #720-Extra clubs in bag during match


Good morning, Linda.
Trust you are well.
An interesting situation occurred during my match play competition yesterday and would like to seek your opinion.
Scenario:
I was playing a match play competition at my local golf club.
Two other players joined us to play a recreational round of golf.
My opponent and myself were sharing a buggy and the recreational golfers also had a buggy.
After completing playing the 7th hole the recreational golfer claimed that he had left 3 clubs behind on Hole number 6.
I teed off on Hole 8 and as I was replacing my driver in my bag I noticed that the recreational golfer’s 3 clubs were in my bag on our buggy.
I told him so and returned the clubs to him.
I did not put the recreational golfer’s clubs in my bag and we were unable to establish how the clubs landed in my bag.
My opponent claimed that I had 3 extra clubs in my bag for all of Hole 7 and therefore I had lost the hole.
Is this a correct ruling?
Thank you for your answer.
Best regards
Lou from Dubai

Dear Lou,

No penalty.

You started your round with no more than 14 clubs. The three clubs belonging to the recreational golfer were accidentally placed in your bag during the round. You did not use those clubs. You do not incur a penalty and you may return the clubs to their rightful owner [Decision 4-4a/5.5].

The ruling is the same for both match and stroke play, and would not change if the recreational golfers had been participants in the competition.

Linda
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