PGAProfessional.com Blog
If one must have one, I guess...

Question:

I like to put a clean tee in my mouth when I swing a club. It helps keep my head still. Is this considered an aid and therefore illegal?

Maureen Gingrass
Rio Vista, CA

Answer:

Hi Maureen,

Well, that's about the strangest rules question I've gotten. I almost never answer rules questions (see rules FAQ) but this one is odd enough, and speaks to intention, so others can probably learn from it. Here are some quotes from the rules.

First, the qualifier: "A player in doubt as to whether use of an item would constitute a breach of Rule 14-3 should consult the USGA."

Next, my interpretation (which means you should consult the USGA to confirm) is that what you are doing does violate the rules, yes. It involves Rule 11, Rule 14-3 and Appendix IV.

From Rule 14-3. Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment

Except as provided in the Rules, during a stipulated round the player must not use any artificial device or unusual equipment (see Appendix IV for detailed specifications and interpretations), or use any equipment in an unusual manner:

a. That might assist him in making a stroke or in his play

From Appendix IV

Tees (Rule 11)

A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground. A tee must not:

• be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm);
• be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate line of play;
• unduly influence the movement of the ball; or
• otherwise assist the player in making a stroke or in his play

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 14-3: Disqualification

Finally, some discussion. It seems to me that based on your intention (using the tee to help you keep your head still -- I assume as a reference point in your visual field?) that using anything at all (toothpick, cigarette, drumstick, baseball bat) in that manner would be a violation of the rule. Similarly, you're not allowed to move a rock or leaf, etc., onto your target line, or lay one of your other clubs down, etc., to help with lining up. If you simply enjoyed having a tee in your mouth when hitting shots, and it had nothing to do with helping you play the stroke, there would be no issue with it. It's when you add the part about it helping you keep your head still that it violates the rules.

Let me know if you find out something different from the USGA. For anything further on this or other rules see rules FAQ. Thanks for visiting PGAProfessional.com and best of luck with your game. MB

Question:

I have [been] reading that I should lean the putter shaft forward, but also be hitting up on putter [ball]. This does not seem to make sense to me as leaning the putter forward would be delofting the face, thus be hitting down on the ball. Thanks.

Jack Reed
Canton, OH

Answer:

Hi Jack,

It's pretty easy to understand once you have enough information. Let's make a couple baseline assumptions for our explanation here just to keep things very simple*: 1. the bottom of the swing arc is straight below your sternum/center of stance and that is where the putter head is resting at address 2. therefore, at any point beyond that (i.e., any ball position left of center for a right-hander) the putter head is on the upswing portion of the arc.

Putters usually have somewhere around 4 degrees of loft, so leaning them forward at address (even 4 degrees) would still allow for more than 0 degrees at impact for any ball position left of center (see the image to the right, which is not to scale and exaggerates the angles a bit, but illustrates the idea).

Thanks for visiting PGAProfessional.com and best of luck with your game. MB

* There are many other potential variables and possible variations

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