Is it permissible to tighten a screw on your driver during a round?

The Rules of Golf are tough! Thankfully, we’ve obtained the guru. Our Rules Guy is aware of the ebook entrance to again. Got a query? He’s obtained all of the solutions.

I’ve a driver with an adjustable clubhead. During a latest aggressive spherical, I seen a slight creaking noise from the pinnacle. Without giving it any thought, I used the software that got here with the membership to tighten the free screw—I didn’t change any of the settings. My taking part in associate, nevertheless, thought a penalty was so as. What say you, Rules Guy? —Simon Black, Melbourne, Australia

We hate to say it, however your taking part in associate has a free screw in his or her head as effectively. (The different — realizing the rule however attempting to get one over on you — is just too ugly to ponder.)

Under Rule 4.1a(2), a membership that turns into broken in any approach could also be repaired during the spherical, excepting circumstances of abuse. This actually consists of tightening a screw of a clubhead that has turn into free. Turn, flip, flip as wanted. 

For extra driver-related steering from our guru, learn on …

My driver head shattered on the eighth gap during a latest spherical. At the flip, I ducked into the car parking zone and grabbed a totally different driver that I had in my automotive. Different mannequin, totally different specs. After the spherical, my taking part in companions felt I used to be due penalty strokes for utilizing 15 golf equipment. Are they right? —Lloyd Warner, by way of e-mail

As is usually the case with the principles, and to some folks’s consternation, the reply is unquestionably … it relies upon.

If Model Local Rule G-9 is in impact, as it fairly often is throughout most golf organizations, you might be at liberty to swap in a alternative for a considerably broken or damaged membership, assuming this occurred during the conventional course of play reasonably than in a match of pique. (The guidelines don’t give succor to the petulant.)

The substitute needn’t be the identical make and mannequin, nor even the identical kind of membership — in the event you wished to sub in a lob wedge for the driver, that’s your prerogative. And had you had fewer than 14 golf equipment in your bag to begin, you’d have been free to add a membership or golf equipment into play mid-round (with out unduly delaying play) till you reached the 14-club restrict.

However, if Model Local Rule G-9 isn’t in impact, you couldn’t sub in a alternative 14th membership, interval. Doing so would lead to a two-stroke penalty per gap with a most of 4 strokes in stroke play, and an adjustment to the state of the match in match play, decided on the completion of the outlet the place the breach is found, with a most of two holes.

You should take away the membership from play as quickly as you turn into conscious of the principles breach or be disqualified. Note, too, that on this state of affairs the principles breach is triggered when you make a stroke, with any membership, as soon as the brand new membership has been added to the bag — it doesn’t matter when or in the event you use that new membership itself.

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