Guys,
I was half looking at the Golf Channel's coverage of the Greater Hickory Classic last night when the Fred Funk incident occurred. My understanding of the incident is that Fred's caddie inadvertently grabbed two clubs from Mike Goodes bag and he used one of them to chip with. This was on hole 13. The caddie put them back in Fred's bag and he played 14 and 15 with 16 clubs in the bag.
The Golf Channel then interviewed Dillard Pruitt to get an explanation of the 2 stroke penalty. I didn't follow Pruitt's explanation at all. Seemed like Frank Nobilo didn't either, saying Fred should have been penalized 4 strokes - not the 2 strokes he actually was - citing rule 4-4a. Fred had more than 14 clubs for 3 holes if my understanding is correct. Rule 4-4 also states that "the player must not add or borrow any club selected for play by any other person playing on the course". Seems Fred, really his caddie, (obviously with no malicious intent to purposely break any of these rules) broke this part of the rule as well although the penalty for borrowing clubs is not exactly spelled out in rule 4-4a.
OK you rules experts, let's here from you. Was Dillard Pruitt wrong, what about the "borrowing" part of this rule, should Fred have gotten 4 strokes or even DQ'd? What exactly was Pruitt's explanation?
Full Version: Explanation of Fred Funk More than 14 Club Ruling
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You have to look at the rule a little differently as he started the round with only 14 clubs. He is not penalized for adding, but rather for using an additional club once.
4-4a/5 Fellow-Competitor's Club Put in Competitor's Bag by Mistake During Round Used Unintentionally by Competitor
Q. In stroke play, A and B both started with 14 clubs. They were using iron clubs of the same model. At one hole, B's caddie inadvertently put one of B's clubs into A's bag. At a subsequent hole, A played a stroke with B's club by mistake. What is the ruling?
A. Rule 4-4a states: "The player must start a stipulated round with not more than 14 clubs. He is limited to the clubs thus selected...." A complied with the first sen-tence and therefore incurred no penalty for carrying B's club. However, when A played a stroke with B's club, he did not comply with the second sentence and was subject to penalty under Rule 4-4a.
4-4a/5 Fellow-Competitor's Club Put in Competitor's Bag by Mistake During Round Used Unintentionally by Competitor
Q. In stroke play, A and B both started with 14 clubs. They were using iron clubs of the same model. At one hole, B's caddie inadvertently put one of B's clubs into A's bag. At a subsequent hole, A played a stroke with B's club by mistake. What is the ruling?
A. Rule 4-4a states: "The player must start a stipulated round with not more than 14 clubs. He is limited to the clubs thus selected...." A complied with the first sen-tence and therefore incurred no penalty for carrying B's club. However, when A played a stroke with B's club, he did not comply with the second sentence and was subject to penalty under Rule 4-4a.
QUOTE (kevcarter @ Sep 19 2009, 09:56 AM) 
You have to look at the rule a little differently as he started the round with only 14 clubs. He is not penalized for adding, but rather for using an additional club once.
4-4a/5 Fellow-Competitor's Club Put in Competitor's Bag by Mistake During Round Used Unintentionally by Competitor
Q. In stroke play, A and B both started with 14 clubs. They were using iron clubs of the same model. At one hole, B's caddie inadvertently put one of B's clubs into A's bag. At a subsequent hole, A played a stroke with B's club by mistake. What is the ruling?
A. Rule 4-4a states: "The player must start a stipulated round with not more than 14 clubs. He is limited to the clubs thus selected...." A complied with the first sen-tence and therefore incurred no penalty for carrying B's club. However, when A played a stroke with B's club, he did not comply with the second sentence and was subject to penalty under Rule 4-4a.
4-4a/5 Fellow-Competitor's Club Put in Competitor's Bag by Mistake During Round Used Unintentionally by Competitor
Q. In stroke play, A and B both started with 14 clubs. They were using iron clubs of the same model. At one hole, B's caddie inadvertently put one of B's clubs into A's bag. At a subsequent hole, A played a stroke with B's club by mistake. What is the ruling?
A. Rule 4-4a states: "The player must start a stipulated round with not more than 14 clubs. He is limited to the clubs thus selected...." A complied with the first sen-tence and therefore incurred no penalty for carrying B's club. However, when A played a stroke with B's club, he did not comply with the second sentence and was subject to penalty under Rule 4-4a.
kevcarter,
Thanks for your clarification. That decision you quoted seems to pretty much nail the ruling on the head.
QUOTE (bhmgolfer @ Sep 19 2009, 10:14 AM)
QUOTE (kevcarter @ Sep 19 2009, 09:56 AM)
You have to look at the rule a little differently as he started the round with only 14 clubs. He is not penalized for adding, but rather for using an additional club once.
4-4a/5 Fellow-Competitor's Club Put in Competitor's Bag by Mistake During Round Used Unintentionally by Competitor
Q. In stroke play, A and B both started with 14 clubs. They were using iron clubs of the same model. At one hole, B's caddie inadvertently put one of B's clubs into A's bag. At a subsequent hole, A played a stroke with B's club by mistake. What is the ruling?
A. Rule 4-4a states: "The player must start a stipulated round with not more than 14 clubs. He is limited to the clubs thus selected...." A complied with the first sen-tence and therefore incurred no penalty for carrying B's club. However, when A played a stroke with B's club, he did not comply with the second sentence and was subject to penalty under Rule 4-4a.
4-4a/5 Fellow-Competitor's Club Put in Competitor's Bag by Mistake During Round Used Unintentionally by Competitor
Q. In stroke play, A and B both started with 14 clubs. They were using iron clubs of the same model. At one hole, B's caddie inadvertently put one of B's clubs into A's bag. At a subsequent hole, A played a stroke with B's club by mistake. What is the ruling?
A. Rule 4-4a states: "The player must start a stipulated round with not more than 14 clubs. He is limited to the clubs thus selected...." A complied with the first sen-tence and therefore incurred no penalty for carrying B's club. However, when A played a stroke with B's club, he did not comply with the second sentence and was subject to penalty under Rule 4-4a.
kevcarter,
Thanks for your clarification. That decision you quoted seems to pretty much nail the ruling on the head.
Happy to help!
Kevin
good job kev....you are right.because he started with 14 he doesnt get a penalty but when he used our club is when the penalty occured
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