AVIDGOLFER

John Senden Is Latest Example Why Some Golf Rules Suck–Volume Too Many To Count

Rick Arnett /

John Senden is the latest golfer to be unfairly penalized during tournament play. The Aussie was in the process of hitting his drive when the club snapped in mid-swing. Seems innocuous enough, right? Just re-tee. Except current Rules of Golf deemed it a stroke–even though he didn’t mean to hit the ball once the shaft decided to go south on the downswing. Guess timing is everything. And nothing.

Golf.com’s Josh Berhow explains as playing partner Geoff Oglivy was flabbergasted at the ruling.

Senden said, “I had no chance of stopping the shot,” he said. “It actually spooked me a bit.”

There was a lengthy discussion with officials that led to the ruling, and Geoff Ogilvy (below), one of Senden’s playing partners, was not happy Senden had to hit his second shot from the tee. (NSFW.) A portion of the rules discussion was regarding how Senden had to play his second shot. He was eventually told he could take his ball off the tee and drop it near that same spot to play his shot.


Never seen anything like what just happened to John Senden in Australia. His shaft snapped inside his grip as he started his downswing. Lucky he didn’t slice his hand open. And then a long rules discussion. pic.twitter.com/UamVAfviEG

So there ya go. When Kevin Na was struggling with his inner demons, he’d get ready to swing and nonchalantly swing/wave the club over the ball. No penalty. I’m no rules official, but this appears to be a yet another indictment why golf gets a deserved bad rap from golfers and non-golfers alike.

Geoff Oglivy Golf rules John Senden snapped club