Can ‘volcano’ cups be fixed without penalty? Rules Guy

The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.

Our club is a 50-plus community and many players struggle to retrieve their ball from the cup. We installed that ball-lifting contraption attached to the pin. Improper usage can raise the surrounding ground, creating a volcano cup that repels slower putts. I repair this damage by tamping down around the cup with my putter, making sure not to create a funnel hole. Yet some say this is illegal or that I must declare that I see damage before tamping. —Fred Reininger, Tucson, Ariz.

The “volcano hole” question generally makes Rules Guy erupt.

In our not-so-humble opinion, too many who ask are trying to procure permission to tamp impermissibly. Your inquiry seems legitimate, however, and per Rule 13.1c(2), if the hole is clearly damaged and that damage was created by a person or outside influence (such as by someone using the ball-retrieval device) then the damage may be repaired.

If, instead, the player goes beyond reasonable actions to restore the green to its original conditions, then Rule 8.1 applies.

For more repair guidance from our guru, read on …

Rules Guy: Can a caddie help you repair marks on the green?

By:

Rules Guy

During a tournament match, my partner slammed his driver in frustration after a big slice, shattering the shaft just above the hosel adapter. Luckily, the manufacturer of his driver was onsite doing a demo day, and we were about to make the turn; my partner was able to switch in a new shaft on the spot. I know he can repair a club damaged during a round, but does getting a new shaft to plug into the original clubhead constitute a repair or a replacement? —Robert Black, Johns Creek, Ga.

Your angry partner’s lucky streak has snapped, too.

In the latest Rules update, you can keep using, or repair without unreasonable delay, a damaged club under Rule 4.1a(2)—no matter how the damage occurred. So far, so good … except “repairing” a club is limited to its original components, so switching in a new shaft would go beyond what’s allowed in repairing the club.

The new Model Local Rule G-9 excludes replacing a club damaged by an act of anger or abuse. In these circumstances, any stroke made with a replaced club would result in disqualification (although there’s no penalty for carrying the incorrectly repaired club and then not using it for the rest of the round). Rules Guy shudders to think how angry that DQ would make him.

Want to find the right gear for your bag in 2025? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Got a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your queries, confusions and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.

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