[Golf Rules... Knowledge Is Power] If You Used 15 Clubs

Damon Shriners Open 1R Exceeds Club Limit
Voluntarily Reported 4-Iron Found on 4th Hole to Officials
More Than 14 Clubs Results in 2 Penalties Per Hole, Max 4 Penalties

Golf has no referees. It is a "gentleman's sport" where golfers play by following the rules themselves. The golf rules are "assistants" created to help with play. If well understood and properly used, they can greatly aid in score management. These are golf rules that weekend golfers must know.

Joel Damon

Joel Dahmen (USA), ranked 129th in the FedEx Cup standings, made a big mistake. On the 17th (local time) during the first round of the PGA Tour Shriners Children's Open (total prize money $7 million) held at TPC Summerlin (par 71, 7,255 yards) in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, he was later found to have played with 15 golf clubs, exceeding the allowed number.

Dahmen only realized at the 4th hole (par 4) that he had an extra 4-iron and voluntarily reported it to the tournament officials. For Dahmen, who needs to be ranked within the top 125 in the FedEx Cup to secure his PGA Tour card for next season, this was a fatal mistake. Due to the penalty, Dahmen recorded a 5-over-par 76. His ranking dropped to 131st, and he eventually withdrew immediately after the first round. He expressed regret, saying, "I've never experienced this during a round."

Golf Rule 4.1b allows a maximum of 14 clubs. Players receive a two-stroke penalty for the hole where the violation occurred and up to a four-stroke penalty for the round. Dahmen made par on the 1st and 2nd holes but received two-stroke penalties on each, resulting in double bogeys. For reference, if a player intentionally exceeds the club limit, the penalty is more severe. According to Rule 4.1c, it results in disqualification rather than a penalty.

Dahmen, who debuted on the PGA Tour in 2017, is ranked 234th in the world. He collected his only victory trophy at the 2021 Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship. He has participated in 205 PGA Tour events, achieving nine top-5 finishes and 23 top-10 finishes. His total career earnings amount to $12,219,222 (approximately 16.7 billion KRW).