Tour News

Inside the Jeff Overton DQ at Colonial

Published

13 years ago

May 26, 2013

Rule 14-3 of the 2012-2015 USGA Rules of Golf states, in part:

“During a stipulated round the player must not use any artificial device or unusual equipment…or use any equipment in an unusual manner.”

With all due respect to the USGA, the entire situation surrounding Jeff Overton’s disqualification at Colonial is an exercise in “unusual” that the framers of the Rules likely couldn’t have anticipated.

As the Indiana alum finished No. 9 of his third round, he was 4-under par and 7 strokes out of the lead. He was also facing a three-group backup on the 10th tee. Reportedly at the behest of a starter who told him he could practice with an alignment aid, Overton went to a nearby practice green to work on his stroke.

Using a designated practice area during a round is permissible. However, when Overton pulled out what we assume to be a traditional driveway stake/alignment stick, to aid his practice, he found himself in violation of the body of golfing law.

There are a number of opinions emerging on the matter.

Join the discussion about Jeff Overton’s DQ in our forums.

Some might say that the notion that Overton could have hit 500 putts in the middle of his round (at the designated practice area, assuming the backup persisted) with the USGA’s blessing is a bit counter to the spirit of competition. Additionally, there are many who feel that dropping a stick down to check his alignment on the practice green, shouldn’t have been grounds for Ovie’s dismissal…However, the Rules are the rules, at least until the next revision.

Still, others might say that Overton’s flippant attitude following the disqualification may not have been the best route to take. The golfer tweeted: “Looks like I gotta go back and rememorize a couple hundred pages of the usga (sic) rules book!”

Really, all Overton needed to do was not rely on the advice of a starter and think twice about pulling out a practice device during a competitive round, which is one of the great taboos in competitive golf. On some level, the ruling may be ridiculous, however, when an atypical situation arises, the onus is unfortunately on the competitor to get clarification from a legitimate source.

Here’s some more insight into the determination from the USGA’s companion Decisions text:

Q.During a stipulated round, a player uses a rod to check his alignment or his swing plane. What is the ruling?

A. The player is disqualified under Rule 14-3 as the rod is unusual equipment and such use, during the stipulated round, is not permitted. Carrying the rod is not, of itself, a breach of a Rule.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

17 Comments

Nonameneeded

Jun 1, 2013 at 12:33 pm

Hang on. Does that mean if I practice my stroke on any green whilst waiting for my playi partner to tap in against a flag stick I’m DQed.??? I sometimes think the rules have become so complicated and unrealistic that even pros step over the line by mistake. I’m sure there is not a pro out there that would cheat on purpose. But taking a stick out of the bag and using to help alignment… Come on. Tiger dropped two yards away from an original spot. Huh?

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3jack

May 29, 2013 at 6:06 pm

“…He was also facing a three-group backup on the 10th tee. …”

Somebody should have been penalized for that including the PGA for having no teeth.

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Brother Dave

May 29, 2013 at 6:02 pm

A “professional” golfer should know the rules, period. Learning them is not like deciphering Hammurabi or the Da Vinci Code. The first 28 deal with what most golfers will encounter, Rules 29-32 governing alternate forms of play and administration and Rules 33-34 govern the committee and disputes. I don’t know what profession you are in, but mine requires continuing education and compliance with a way more intrusive regulatory state than the USGA or PGA Tour could ever muster.

Anyone who makes their living playing golf should make reading the rules and decision part of their regular routine. Seriously, something is very wrong when so-called professionals routinely hold up play to ask for a ruling on even the most simple situations.

I’ve got zero sympathy for any “professional” who acts as if ignorance of the rules is anything but their own fault.

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Don

May 26, 2013 at 9:02 pm

Whether the rule is bad or not, the issue as I see it is that he broke a rule, got DQ’ed, then acted like a 9 year old. I liked Overton until he started his twitter tantrum. He could have said something along the lines of he unwittingly made a mistake, learned from it, and is moving on to get ready for next week. Instead he refused to accept responsibility and blames the official who told him that he could chip and putt for NOT telling him that he couldn’t use training aids.
I guess he needs to be read the 2013 Rules of Golf on the first tee next week.

Reply Report comment
- G
  
  May 27, 2013 at 2:31 am
  
  I think you can say that there are 3 things wrong with this whole situation.
  Jeff could’ve handled it more professionally, the rules don’t state WHERE ON the course the rule applies, and the official wasn’t forthcoming as to be cool enough to remind him that a player should not use any extraneous equipment at all. At the same time, in normal play, it is also understood that a player cannot USUALLY “practice” during a tournament round.
  All very vague.
  
  Reply Report comment
Paul

May 26, 2013 at 6:43 pm

Alignment sticks are in just about every pros bag… They are not “unusual”… This rule is crap, I don’t blame Jeff for being upset. If the violation does not take place within the boundaries of the course (not to be confused with practice area) then the rule should not apply.

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- John
  
  May 27, 2013 at 1:35 am
  
  Just because every pro uses them doesnt make it not a training aid. He was in the middle of his round anyways, not like he was practicing before his round on the practice area, but DURING his round!
  
  Reply Report comment
- G
  
  May 27, 2013 at 2:29 am
  
  @ Paul.
  I agree. It wasn’t ON the course. He had stepped off the course to a practice green, as he was told he could do so. So it should not have applied.
  Isn’t grabbing a can of beer during a round from the concession stand “unusual” equipment, especially when the stand is ON the course along the side of the fairway? And a can of beer is definitely equipment for some, right?
  
  Reply Report comment
Randall

May 26, 2013 at 5:06 pm

Just claim you didn’t now the rule. Just a penalty and no DQ, ehh Tiger

Reply Report comment
- G
  
  May 27, 2013 at 2:27 am
  
  I like that.
  
  Reply Report comment
JB

May 26, 2013 at 4:52 pm

He should totally know that an alignment stick is unlawful to use in competition?? Seriously you don’t think twice about pulling that thing out??

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Paul

May 26, 2013 at 3:44 pm

If he had instead used the shaft of another club as the alignment aid, would he have been DQ’ed?

Reply Report comment
- ed
  
  May 26, 2013 at 5:02 pm
  
  Is a club ‘unusual’? No.
  
  Reply Report comment
- txgolfer130
  
  May 26, 2013 at 6:55 pm
  
  Yes he would have been DQ’d as well. The rule stipulates “…any equipment in an unusual manner.” Laying a club down is an unusual manner and is not allowed in a competitive round.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - G
    
    May 27, 2013 at 2:33 am
    
    If it doesn’t say WHERE, does it really count? I think the rules apply during the round ON the course, but stepping off the playing area of the course to a practice green must mean something different, surely? Way too vague. And I thought the PGA Tour bifurcated this stuff anyways, no? :-p
    
    Reply Report comment
    - John
      
      May 27, 2013 at 2:39 am
      
      Yea because you go to the tactics range/green sooo frequently during the middle of your round of a pga your event, much less ANY tpurnament or even a normal round. Seriously are trying to defend this guy? I mean come on, some rules are easy to misunderstand but this isn’t one of them, just a ignorant player.
      
      Reply Report comment
Mario Good Times

May 26, 2013 at 12:13 pm

Rules are rules and how small the violation may seem its in place for a reason. This one I get… Its like signing your scorecard wrong, DQ!!! well unless your TIGER then you get special treatment..

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