Taping fingers together

What is the community’s view on taping fingers together because of an injury ( jammed knuckle). In the new rule book, 2019, rule 4.3b 2, Equipment used for medical reasons leaves me confused. It states tape or similar coverings a player may use adhesive tape or a similar covering for any medical reason but the tape or covering must not be applied excessively or help the player more than is necessary for the medical reason for example, it must not immobilize the joint to help the players swing the club.

So does taping my fingers together fall under this ruling?

Right at the bottom of The Rules Index - Modified Rules of Golf for Players With Disabilities:

_However, any player may ask the Committee in charge of a competition for permission to use an artificial device, such as a brace or a gripping aid, to help with a medical condition. Under Rule 4.3b, a player is not in breach of Rule 4.3 for using equipment to help with a medical condition if the Committee finds that:

The player has a medical reason for using the equipment, and

The use of that equipment would not give the player an unfair advantage over other players.

Alternatively, upon request, the USGA will review and issue a preliminary opinion, on a case-by-case basis, about whether the use of a device for medical reasons is allowed under Rule 4.3. Any player may submit a written request to the USGA for its opinion on a device he or she wishes to use for medical reasons. It remains up to the Committee to decide whether the device gives the player any unfair advantage over other players and therefore whether to allow its use or not._

From my reading of it, nothing has changed.

Are you using the tape for medical purposes? If yes, it’s ok.

The part about immobilizing a joint says:

“for example, it must not immobilize a joint to help the player swing the club).”

The key in that, to me, is “to help the player swing the club”.

If you truly have an injury and need the tape, the tape “allows” you to swing the club. “Helping” you swing the club would be if it made it easier to swing the club if you had no injury at all.

That’s how I read it anyway.

> @Augster said:

> From my reading of it, nothing has changed.

> **Are you using the tape for medical purposes? If yes, it’s ok.**

>

> The part about immobilizing a joint says:

> “for example, it must not immobilize a joint to help the player swing the club).”

>

> The key in that, to me, is “to help the player swing the club”.

>

> If you truly have an injury and need the tape, the tape “allows” you to swing the club. “Helping” you swing the club would be if it made it easier to swing the club if you had no injury at all.

>

> That’s how I read it anyway.

It's not quite that simple. The Rule includes AND at the end of the medical reason statement - it's a two part test:

The player has a medical reason for using the equipment, **and**

The use of that equipment would not give the player an unfair advantage over other players.

Just got back from a workshop and taping fingers did come up. As has been stated, if you have an injury, ask the committee, but taping injured fingers is not normally a problem. I think one of the original reasons for the paragraph on tape is blisters, whether you have one or are trying to prevent one. Tiger, for example, always taped his fingers on his non glove hand. Not sure if he still does. Nowadays, KT or Kinesiology Therapeutic tape has become popular.

> @rogolf said:

> It's not quite that simple. The Rule includes AND at the end of the medical reason statement - it's a two part test:

> The player has a medical reason for using the equipment, **and**

> The use of that equipment would not give the player an unfair advantage over other players.

Tape is actually handled a little differently from generic medical equipment. It has it's own section so the conditions are slightly different. (I don't remember if that's new or the same as it used to be):

_4-3 b. (2) Tape or Similar Coverings. A player may use adhesive tape or a similar covering for any medical reason (such as to prevent an injury or help with an existing injury), but the tape or covering must not:

* Be applied excessively, or

* Help the player more than is necessary for the medical reason (for example, it must not immobilize a joint to help the player swing the club).

A player who is uncertain about where or how tape or similar coverings may be applied should ask the Committee for a ruling._

OP states in title “taping fingers together”. He’s not talking about a medical device.

I don’t see anything in the rules that says that’s an issue.

Got my second hole in one after dislocating my left pinkie with it buddy taped to my ring finger! Assumed it was legal, nice to have that validated.

I think people may be interpreting the wording - "immobilize a joint" to mean a finger joint. I guess you could read it that way, but I believe that the Rules likely are referring to a joint like a wrist, elbow or knee. My current injury to my TFCC (right wrist cartilage) is going to require a significant amount of taping this year and while it doesn't immobilize the joint, it will restrict some motion. Likely would be a fine line if I was playing in anything important, but those days are over, so I don't care about that.

> @Socrates said:

> I think people may be interpreting the wording - "immobilize a joint" to mean a finger joint. I guess you could read it that way, but I believe that the Rules likely are referring to a joint like a wrist, elbow or knee. My current injury to my TFCC (right wrist cartilage) is going to require a significant amount of taping this year and while it doesn't immobilize the joint, it will restrict some motion. Likely would be a fine line if I was playing in anything important, but those days are over, so I don't care about that.

It's not simply the immobilization of a joint that makes it potentially illegal - it's very specifically the immobilization for the purpose of making the stroke easier. On top of that, it's also only if the application (and immobilization) goes beyond what is necessary for the medical purpose it's intended to treat or manage. If the medical condition necessitates full immobilization of a particular joint, then it can be immobilized w/o penalty. At least that's my interpretation of "Help the player more than is necessary ...".

> @Swisstrader98 said:

> OP states in title “taping fingers together”. He’s not talking about a medical device.

>

> I don’t see anything in the rules that says that’s an issue.

Here we go again...

Did you actually read the original post? If you did, did you happen to spot the word 'injury'?

Funny enough, I do see lots of thing in the Rules against taping fingers together without any legitimate reason.

> @"Mr. Bean" said:

> > @Swisstrader98 said:

> > OP states in title “taping fingers together”. He’s not talking about a medical device.

> >

> > I don’t see anything in the rules that says that’s an issue.

>

> Here we go again...

>

> Did you actually read the original post? If you did, did you happen to spot the word 'injury'?

>

> Funny enough, I do see lots of thing in the Rules against taping fingers together without any legitimate reason.

HUH??!!

So you believe OP is breaking a rule by taping his fingers together due to a jammed knuckle??

Let me help you here...this is perfectly within the rules. Feel free to show me the rule that says otherwise.

@Swisstrader98

So after folks post the rules dealing with the issue, you swoop in and say there’s no issue? Do you believe if your comment was the only answer in this thread, that would have been all that was needed to understand the rules surrounding this topic?

I don’t see people saying that the OP can’t use the medical tape.

> @Swisstrader98 said:

> > @"Mr. Bean" said:

> > > @Swisstrader98 said:

> > > OP states in title “taping fingers together”. He’s not talking about a medical device.

> > >

> > > I don’t see anything in the rules that says that’s an issue.

> >

> > Here we go again...

> >

> > Did you actually read the original post? If you did, did you happen to spot the word 'injury'?

> >

> > Funny enough, I do see lots of thing in the Rules against taping fingers together ** without any legitimate reason.**

> HUH??!!

>

> So you believe OP is breaking a rule by taping his fingers together due to a jammed knuckle??

Sorry, but i think you significantly misunderstood Mr Bean's post and were jumping to some wrong conclusions.

He's saying, from the standpoint of the rules - tape used for medical reasons is a "medical device" (your words, the rules use "medical equipment") and the previously quoted rules certainly do apply.

He also only stated that as such, there certainly are restrictions in the rules about using such tape - but he didn't make any judgement about whether the op's case was legitimate or not.

> @"Stuart G." said:

> > @Swisstrader98 said:

> > > @"Mr. Bean" said:

> > > > @Swisstrader98 said:

> > > > OP states in title “taping fingers together”. He’s not talking about a medical device.

> > > >

> > > > I don’t see anything in the rules that says that’s an issue.

> > >

> > > Here we go again...

> > >

> > > Did you actually read the original post? If you did, did you happen to spot the word 'injury'?

> > >

> > > Funny enough, I do see lots of thing in the Rules against taping fingers together ** without any legitimate reason.**

> > HUH??!!

> >

> > So you believe OP is breaking a rule by taping his fingers together due to a jammed knuckle??

>

> Sorry, but i think you significantly misunderstood Mr Bean's post and were jumping to some wrong conclusions.

>

> He's saying, from the standpoint of the rules - tape used for medical reasons is a "medical device" (your words, the rules use "medical equipment") and the previously quoted rules certainly do apply.

>

> He also only stated that as such, there certainly are restrictions in the rules about using such tape - but he didn't make any judgement about whether the op's case was legitimate or not.

I understood perfectly what he was trying to say and I feel sorry for the OP that with all the rules gurus on here, you STILL have not answered his very simple question.

Further, when the USGA is referencing a medical device, they are referring to a physical brace or gripping tool, not a piece of tape.

Decision 14-3/8 relates to adhesive tape and is a specific, limited exception for the use of tape in a “traditionally accepted manner.”

> @Swisstrader98 said:

>

> > @"Stuart G." said:

> > > @Swisstrader98 said:

> > > > @"Mr. Bean" said:

> > > > > @Swisstrader98 said:

> > > > > OP states in title “taping fingers together”. He’s not talking about a medical device.

> > > > >

> > > > > I don’t see anything in the rules that says that’s an issue.

> > > >

> > > > Here we go again...

> > > >

> > > > Did you actually read the original post? If you did, did you happen to spot the word 'injury'?

> > > >

> > > > Funny enough, I do see lots of thing in the Rules against taping fingers together ** without any legitimate reason.**

> > > HUH??!!

> > >

> > > So you believe OP is breaking a rule by taping his fingers together due to a jammed knuckle??

> >

> > Sorry, but i think you significantly misunderstood Mr Bean's post and were jumping to some wrong conclusions.

> >

> > He's saying, from the standpoint of the rules - tape used for medical reasons is a "medical device" (your words, the rules use "medical equipment") and the previously quoted rules certainly do apply.

> >

> > He also only stated that as such, there certainly are restrictions in the rules about using such tape - but he didn't make any judgement about whether the op's case was legitimate or not.

> I understood perfectly what he was trying to say and I feel sorry for the OP that with all the rules gurus on here, you STILL have not answered his very simple question.

>

> Further, when the USGA is referencing a medical device, they are referring to a physical brace or gripping tool, not a piece of tape.

>

> Decision 14-3/8 relates to adhesive tape and is a specific, limited exception for the use of tape in a “traditionally accepted manner.”

>

>

Not sure why you are referring to 14-3/8 (I guess that's the old Rules), but I and others have referred to Rule 43.b(2) which is the correct one. Essentially, once you start taping things together you should advise the Committee and make sure they okay it. Throw a little wrist tape on or tape over some blisters is common and no one is going to say that is illegal. Use a whack of tape to tape up a wrist or thumb or start binding fingers together - someone might question it and you should have it okayed before hand and not after the fact.

> @Swisstrader98 said:

> I understood perfectly what he was trying to say and I feel sorry for the OP that with all the rules gurus on here, you STILL have not answered his very simple question.

>

If you really understood what he was saying, you wouldn't have jumped to the wrong conclusion and accused him of believing that the OP's use of tape was illegal.

Also the question has been answered a few times. The OP can apply the tape for medical reasons but it's not completely unrestricted in what exactly he can do with the tape and it's only legal as long as he doesn't exceed the quoted restrictions.

> @Swisstrader98 said:

> Further, when the USGA is referencing a medical device, they are referring to a physical brace or gripping tool, not a piece of tape.

I don't see any reference to "medical device" so if you want to validate that statement, feel free to provide an actual link to the current rules. But that's really irreverent, there can be no doubt that the application of tape for medical purposes is covered by rule 4-3 b. (2). It's explicit in the title of the rule (and yes, tape is equipment).

4-3 b. Equipment Used for Medical Reasons

4-3 b. (2) Tape or Similar Coverings

If they let Tiger do it every round, throw the rule book out the window, it is fine.

> @Swisstrader98 said:

> > @"Mr. Bean" said:

> > Stop feeding the troll!

> Is that really necessary?

> Just because someone has a POV that differs from your own doesn’t mean you have to make a personal attack which incidentally is a breach of WRX rules.

>

New site format doesn't seem to help; swisstrader still flailing about with his fly unzipped. He's always good for a laugh.

If Bean would finish writing down his thoughts we wouldn't be guessing as to his full meaning. Connect the dots for us.

> @LeoLeo99 said:

> If Bean would finish writing down his thoughts we wouldn't be guessing as to his full meaning. Connect the dots for us.

>

???