What is the penalty for carrying more than 14 clubs?

Under Rule 4.1b of the 2023 Rules of Golf you must not start a round with more than 14 clubs or have more than 14 during the round. The limit counts all clubs carried by or for you, but not parts of a broken club carried at the start of the round. If you start with fewer than 14, you may add clubs up to 14.

When you become aware of the breach, you must take the excess club or clubs out of play before your next stroke, using the Rule 4.1c(1) procedure (clearly indicating each club is out of play). If you started with more than 14 you choose which to take out; if you added clubs during the round, the added ones come out.

Penalty: it is applied at the end of the hole being played (or the hole just completed, if you notice between holes).

• Stroke play: two penalty strokes for each hole where a breach happened, maximum four penalty strokes in the round.
• Match play: the match score is revised by deducting one hole for each hole where a breach happened, maximum two holes in the round. For example, a player who starts with 15 clubs, notices on the 3rd hole and wins it to go three up becomes one up.