In professional golf, where every move and every inch counts, the implement in the player’s hand is not just a mere tool but an embodiment of the player’s ability. A seasoned golfer known for his accuracy, Matt Fitzpatrick found himself in a position that few could have foreseen. In the middle of a match in a recent tournament, Fitzpatrick discovered a crack in his driver. What exactly happened? What did the officials say?

The furor began when Fitzpatrick, mid-tournament, noticed that his driver was damaged. As he examined the crack, a crucial question arose: would he be allowed to replace the damaged club? The answer came swiftly, as shared in a tweet from Fore Play: “Fitz cracked his driver and was told he couldn’t replace it… thoughts on the ruling?”

The ruling left many stunned, especially as it became clear that Fitzpatrick would have to play with the damaged driver, which would undoubtedly affect his performance on the course. The golfing world watched keenly as this unfolded.

Fitzpatrick, visibly worried, inspected his driver with a mix of disbelief and irritation. “I can see it. And I can feel it with my nails,” he said, pointing to the crack on the face of the club. The commentators also could not mask their worry. “There’s an obvious crack there. It’s causing a defect to the ball flight,” noted one commentator, echoing the thoughts of many fans.

However, the officials were not swayed by the evidence and remained unmoved. The verdict? It was deemed not significant enough to warrant a replacement, and Fitzpatrick was forced to continue with a club that was not at its best.

Although this was the final ruling, the matter was far from settled in the minds of many. Watching the video, one can almost feel the pressure of the moment bearing down on Fitzpatrick. The officials appeared divided in their discussion, with one even saying, “Well, the verdict has been handed down. Not significant enough to replace.” This has led to a bigger conversation about fairness and the strictness of rules. But what were their exact words?

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Fan reactions to Fitzpatrick’s comments on the cracked driver

A very annoyed golf fan said, “Just another dumb a** golf ruling. Imagine a MLB player having to hit with a cracked bat. Stupid.” This reflects the frustration with the strict rules of golf, particularly Rule 4.1a(3), which prohibits any alteration of a club’s settings during a round, even in the case of damage.

Another fan was not shy and said, “PGA is a 🤡 show.” This sentiment can be attributed to the perceived bias many feel towards how the tour implements its rules, especially regarding equipment. Despite Rule 4.1a allowing a club to be replaced if damaged, the definition of “damaged” often becomes a contentious issue.

Another fan called the ruling “insane” and bashed the PGA Tour saying, “The PGA tour just can’t get out of their own way. That ruling is insane.” Such a reaction captures the general displeasure with how the PGA Tour handles such issues, where the letter and spirit of the game often seem confused.

“Stupid rule. Trying to decide how cracked it is. If you can feel the crack, it’s cracked,” said another fan. If a player can feel the damage with their fingertips, then should that not warrant a replacement? Lastly, a fan summarized the frustration by saying, “Join the list of ridiculous rules.” This is because fans are becoming increasingly irritated with the sport’s authorities for making rules that complicate the game unnecessarily.

Should the rules be relaxed to accommodate such occurrences? What are your opinions on the current policies? Should Fitzpatrick have been allowed to replace the cracked driver? Comment below!