If you're a beginner, about to compete in a tournament, or are generally curious about how many golf clubs you are allowed to have in your bag, you've come to the right place. As you might guess, there are rules which guide golfers on how many clubs are allowed in a golf bag. At the same time, there are penalties for carrying too many golf clubs. In the following guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about how many clubs you're allowed to carry in your golf bag so that you're well-prepared and, most importantly, compliant for that round of golf you're gearing up for. Let's jump in!
How Many Golf Clubs in a Bag
The
USGA and the R&A (Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews) have established rules which allow golfers to carry up to 14 golf clubs in their bag. There is no minimum number of clubs that a golfer is required to carry. In fact, if you start your round with less than 14 clubs then you can add clubs up to the maximum number of 14 throughout that round.
The "Player's Equipment Rule", Rule 4 of the
USGA Rules of Golf governs all things related to golf equipment, including the number of golf clubs allowed during play, penalty strokes occurred in multiple formats, and the procedure for taking club(s) out of play. Now that you know that you are allowed a maximum of 14 golf clubs in your golf bag, let's focus next on the procedure which takes place when a violation of Rule 4.1.b occurs.
What Happens if I Have More than 14 Clubs?
Have you started your round yet? If not, then simply remove the necessary amount of clubs from your bag so that you are carrying 14 in total. If you have started your golf round then there is another procedure to follow.
First, alert your playing partners that you are carrying more than 14 golf clubs in your bag. Next, announce to the group which club you are removing from play. Lastly, flip the golf club around and insert it back into your golf bag so that your grip is at the top and the club face is at the bottom of your golf bag. You're now in compliance with rule 4.1.b.
But what if you've been playing with 14 clubs for 1 or more holes? Is there a penalty that occurs?
What's the Penalty for Carrying too Many Golf Clubs?
So you've been carrying more than 14 golf clubs in your bag and playing in a recreational or competitive round - now what? As you might guess, there is a penalty for carrying too many golf clubs and depending on whether you're playing Stroke Play or Match Play will determine that penalty.
Stroke Play Penalty
Summarizing the
USGA website's official language, a player is assigned a (2) stroke penalty per hole where they played with more than 14 clubs with a maximum penalty of (4) strokes in the round. Basically, the golfer should add (2) strokes per hole starting with the first hole and ending with the 2nd for a maximum penalty. Here's the official language:
- Penalty in Stroke Play - Two Penalty Strokes, Maximum of Four Strokes: You get the general penalty(two penalty strokes) for each hole where a breach happened, with a maximum of four penalty strokes in the round (adding two penalty strokes at each of the first two holes where a breach happened).
Match Play Penalty
Summarizing the
USGA website's official language, a player deducts one hole to their opponent for every hole they played under the breach of the rule. The maximum number of deductions is two holes per round, meaning that if a player is up 4 after 5 holes, but played with 15 clubs the whole time, the violating player would cede two holes back to their opponent. As a result, the violating player would now be up 2 after 5 holes. Here is the official language:
- Penalty in Match Play -
Match Score Revised by Deducting Hole, Maximum of Two Holes: This is a match adjustment penalty – it is not the same as a loss of hole penalty. At the end of the hole you are playing or just completed, the match score is revised by deducting one hole for each hole where a breach happened, with a maximum deduction of two holes in the round.
