Medicus Driver – Is the Medicus Driver a legal driver?

The Medicus Driver is the best-selling golf training aid in history. The Medicus Driver, along with the Medicus 5-iron and Medicus 7-iron have a huge following among all golfers, both amateur and professional. The fact that they are golf swing trainers makes them even more attractive compared to other golf training aids.

Over the years I have seen many golfers use Medicus golf clubs on the driving range. I’ve even seen golfers pull out their Medicus Driver as a way to improve their swing on the golf course while waiting to hit their next tee shot. However, many golfers wonder, “Is it legal to carry any of the Medicus double hinge clubs in your golf bag?”

In a word, the answer is NO. Let me repeat myself, the answer is NO. Medicus double hinge golf clubs are not legal to use during a round of golf under the rules of golf established by the USGA.

As we’ve seen so far in 2010, knowing the rules of golf is important. 2010 has been an unusual year in golf. With Tiger sidelined this year, it seems the entire golf world has been turned upside down. This year has been the year of rule violations. In fact, there have been several notable rule violations in the past year alone.

In the last year, we have seen a striking lack of judgment on the part of many well-known professional and amateur golfers. Notable rule violations this year alone include:

1. Dustin Johnson resting his club in a “sand trap”, causing a two-stroke penalty. This caused him to miss the playoff for the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

2. Jim Furyk didn’t wake up because his cell phone battery died and he missed his tee time for the Barclays Pro-Am. The result was disqualification from the tournament.

3. Julie Inkster using a weighted donut during the LPGA Safeway Classic. This penalty resulted in disqualification.

4. NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice had his caddy wear a rangefinder during a National Tournament. The result – You guessed it, disqualification from the tournament.

While the violations by Dustin Johnson and Jim Furyk were more talked about in the water cooler, for our purposes, the two examples of rule violations that apply to the Medicus are the disqualifications of Julie Inkster and Jerry Rice.

LPGA Hall of Famer Julie Inkster was disqualified from the LPGA Safeway Classic for using a weighted donut on her 9-iron to stay loose as there was a 30-minute wait on the 10th hole. weighted is fine if you are gaming on a sunday with your friends. We have all been there. You’re in a rhythm, you feel good, and then you get stuck in a golf cart jam, usually on a par 3. You want to stay loose, keep that rhythm. However, when you play in a tournament, the USGA Rules of Golf are in full effect. Remember, if you are playing in a tournament, you must read the rules.

So what makes the Medicus Driver an illegal driver? The Medicus driver, Medicus 5-iron, and Medicus 7-iron violate USGA Rule 14-3. Rule 14-3: Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment, and Unusual Use of Equipment specifies that the penalty for a breach of this rule is not one or two strokes. The sanction is disqualification.

To read the full rule, visit the official USGA website here: http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-14/#14-3

The basic language of the rule is that if you are using anything to gain an advantage on the golf course, other than USGA-approved golf equipment, you are likely using equipment that violates the rules.

Professionals aren’t the only ones who break the rules. Earlier this year, Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice was disqualified from a Nationwide tournament when his caddy used a rangefinder to measure yardage. This was also a breach of Rule 14-3.

While yardage books are allowed, rangefinders are not. The same is true for new GPS devices and smartphone apps. Using any of these will disqualify you under rule 14-3. So what can we as amateur golfers do to learn from these high-profile mistakes? The first thing to do is familiarize yourself with the rules of golf. Remember, while many training aids are designed to help the weekend golfer improve his or her scores, keep in mind that many are not legal for use on the golf course. This is according to the rules established by the USGA. This means that the use of any of the Medicus Double Hinged Swing Trainers while on the course is a violation of the rules, resulting in disqualification.

Therefore, you do not want to become dependent on training aids and other devices while on the golf course. Training aids are for practice, not for actual rounds of golf. I am a firm believer in using training aids, especially Medicus Driver, as it has helped improve my scores immensely. But training aids have a time and a place. That time and place is on the driving range and in your backyard. You don’t want to use training aids during a round of golf. Basically, it’s cheating, even if you feel like you don’t really gain any sort of distinctive advantage from doing so. Also, make sure that any equipment you use is approved for use on the golf course by the USGA. The Medicus also has weighted swing trainers, and all of those are also illegal clubs, except for the Power Maximus L-Wedge, which has been approved by the USGA for use on the golf course.

When you play with your regular group, does any of them really care that you’re breaking the rules by using a Medicus, rangefinder, or some other training aid? Probably not. But you must remember this rule when you play in a tournament. Your tournament partners won’t be as forgiving as your regular foursome. This is especially true if you end up in the money. Leave your Medicus and any other training aids at home, otherwise you may fall into old habits and use the training aid during the tournament, in violation of USGA Rule 14-3. If you toss your Medicus Driver in your golf bag but never use it, you may be violating another USGA rule.

Having an extra club in your bag would violate the USGA 4-4 Rule: Maximum of 14 Clubs. The penalty for carrying an extra club in the bag is also disqualification.

To read the 14 Club Rule, click this link: http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-04/#4-4

Do yourself a favor when playing in a tournament, especially if money is involved, leave your golf training aids at home. When it comes to tournaments, just remember, training aids are a big NO-NO!

For more tips and information on Medicus training aids, including Medicus Driver, check out the links below.