2024 U.S. Open: Can Breaking the Golf Club Get a Player Into Trouble? USGA’s Strict Stance Explored

In the history of golf, many players have initiated infamous portrayals of frustration on the greens. The most common of those has always been the snapping and throwing of golf equipment. The 124th edition of the US Open has experienced another such frustrating throw of a putter from a star golfer like Scottie Scheffler. But does it really not go against the restrictions according to the USGA’s rule book?

The USGA is quite strict and meticulous about its rules and regulations, especially when it comes to players’ conduct. According to their rule 1.2a/1, even speaking and directing foul language is a serious misconduct against which severe charges are taken. However, when it comes to golf equipment damage, the USGA specified the only seriously offensive instance as “Endangering the safety of others, such as by throwing a club at another player or spectator.”

However, certain misconducts are not taken as seriously. This includes “slamming a club to the ground, damaging the club, and causing minor damage to the turf.” The USGA also claimed that even if another person gets hurt in the process of such club throws, there is an exception when it is not one of their serious misconducts. They stated the exception as “throwing a club towards a golf bag that unintentionally hits another person.”

In his very first round of this year’s US Open, Scheffler went one over par, and desperate to bring down the numbers, Scheffler played on. On Friday, he saved his par for five holes on the back nine, the 27-year-old golfer lost his cool when he missed a putt on par-3 15th and threw his putter out of immense frustration. This marks the second time he has done it after the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club.

Yet according to the rules, he has not really undertaken one of their serious misconducts and hence stays away from any possible penalties. But did you know this is not the first time such an emotional outburst has happened?

Frustration throws of golf equipment in the US Open’s history

It was the 2011 US Open at the Congressional Blue Course where Rory McIlroy won his major maiden glory. However, the Swedish golfer, Henrik Stenson, finished at T10, tied with 11 other golfers with a score of one under par. When he missed a shot, Stenson flung his putter with such force that even before it touched the ground, the club was in two pieces, and Stenson had injured his hand.

Only two years later, McIlroy had a similar reaction at the US Open in 2013 at Merion East Course. McIlroy had made such a long shot that the golf ball missed the hole and got lost in a nano-water stream right ahead of the hole. Out of frustration, he forced his weight on his golf club, which ultimately got bent. He was later seen trying to fix the bend but ended up failing.

Do you think the USGA should make a rule against players showing their frustration with the golf equipment? Let us know in the comments below.