Does removing the weights from a Spider Tour putter make it non-conforming?

[mw7001]

Does removing both weights from a TaylorMade Spider Tour Putter and playing with no weights installed into the rear ports make it non-conforming and/or illegal for play in tournaments?

 

The weight of mine after changing the length and installing a new SuperStroke grip feels better without the standard 2g weights installed in the back of the head. I would prefer to play with it this way, but I have a tournament on Monday so I need to make sure that it is conforming when played this way.

 

I am under the impression that it is not conforming with the weights removed, because I remember a case on the PGA Tour from a few years ago were Charles Howell had a screw/cap from the back of his driver missing when he played a round and it was ruled as non-conforming/illegal.

 

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Jagpilotohio]

I have no idea but if anyone would notice and protest I would beat them to death with it for being an absolute petty D-bag.

[jll62]

If I recall correctly, Howell's SLDR was ruled to be non-conforming without the toe cap because the USGA felt there could be an aerodynamic advantage (something TaylorMade denied). It wasn't the absence of the piece itself. In 2016, DeChambeau played without a weight in his Cobra F6+ Pro driver.

 

I would think your putter is conforming without the weights, but obviously only the USGA could say for certain.

[Sean289]

Bumping this here. Does anyone know for certain if removing the weights is non-conforming?

I wouldn’t mind taking out the 2 2g weights to being the headweight down from 355g to 351g but would like to know for certain.

[James the Hogan Fan]

You will need to confirm with your committee before playing. Adjustable features are covered under the equipment rules, 2.1b. These just say that you cannot readily make adjustments during a round. Fine there. Everything else is already conforming. This is not a driver so we don't need to worry about CT measurements or whether it makes the club too 'hot'. As long as you don't screw the weights in during the round, you should have no problems.

 

(I would tell you 100% it's not a problem but with the rule-makers you cannot be sure. That said I cannot think of a reason why it would be illegal. The weights are an adjustable feature, including their removal. If you installed theoretical 'weights' that weighed 0.00001g you would not be asking the question at all. Again confirm beforehand, but I believe your concerns are unfounded.)

[Stuart_G]

No, it wont make them non-conforming - but it's always best to check with the committee (they can still DQ even if they make a bad ruling) and if there is any concern - just fill the hole with a plain screw or a 1gm version of the weight which can be found on ebay. I might even have a few extra hanging around from my old r9 driver. Pretty sure they are the same as the movable weights from the r7/r9 heads - at least they do look identical.

 

Removing the weight from drivers is a potential problem in conformance because it could leave a hole open from the outside to the inside of the head. No "holes through the head" are allowed. The CHIII incident was similar since the part that fell off covered up the hot melt port (hole into the head used to add hot melt). Unlike the woods, I'm pretty sure the spider weight screw holes don't open up into a hollow interior of the head.

 

https://www.usga.org/equipment-standards/equipment-rules-2019/equipment-rules/equipment-rules.html#!ruletype=er&section=rule&partnum=1&rulenum=1

[Sean289]

> @"James the Hogan Fan" said:

> You will need to confirm with your committee before playing. Adjustable features are covered under the equipment rules, 2.1b. These just say that you cannot readily make adjustments during a round. Fine there. Everything else is already conforming. This is not a driver so we don't need to worry about CT measurements or whether it makes the club too 'hot'. As long as you don't screw the weights in during the round, you should have no problems.

>

> (I would tell you 100% it's not a problem but with the rule-makers you cannot be sure. That said I cannot think of a reason why it would be illegal. The weights are an adjustable feature, including their removal. If you installed theoretical 'weights' that weighed 0.00001g you would not be asking the question at all. Again confirm beforehand, but I believe your concerns are unfounded.)

 

Thanks. I like your point about the theoretical weights not being issue. I play my putters at 35” so I wouldn’t mind getting the swingweight down a little.

[Sean289]

> @Stuart_G said:

> No, it wont make them non-conforming - but it's always best to check with the committee (they can still DQ even if they make a bad ruling) and if there is any concern - just fill the hole with a plain screw or a 1gm version of the weight which can be found on ebay. I might even have a few extra hanging around from my old r9 driver. Pretty sure they are the same as the movable weights from the r7/r9 heads - at least they do look identical.

>

> Removing the weight from drivers is a potential problem in conformance because it could leave a hole open from the outside to the inside of the head. No "holes through the head" are allowed. The CHIII incident was similar since the part that fell off covered up the hot melt port (hole into the head used to add hot melt). Unlike the woods, I'm pretty sure the spider weight screw holes don't open up into a hollow interior of the head.

>

> https://www.usga.org/equipment-standards/equipment-rules-2019/equipment-rules/equipment-rules.html#!ruletype=er&section=rule&partnum=1&rulenum=1

 

I would be thinking a similar logic. Thanks.