In case 2, I explained that following the accidental or intentional damaging of a club, the player has the right to continue using the club.
The Rules of Golf no longer permit a player to replace a damaged club, even if it was damaged accidentally.
However, following complaints from many PGA Tour players, the R&A and the USGA decided to allow a local rule (by clubs or associations) whereby players may replace accidentally damaged clubs as long as pace of play is not affected.
Moreover, if a club is damaged by someone other than the player, for example another player, an official, or a spectator who damages the club with a power cart. In this case the player may replace the club.
Case 3
-Diane is on the tee. There is a branch which interferes with her swing so she decides to break it off.
-She hits the ball into a wooded area.
-In trying to hit out, her ball hits her leg and ends up in the fairway.
-She hits her next shot and her ball hits her playing partner. The ball ends up on the green.
-She putts and her ball is accidently deflected by the foot of her partner and ends up 6 inches from the hole.
-Diane putts out, hitting the ball with the back of her putter.
Case 4
-Diane comes to the next hole. She doesn’t like the alignment of the tee blocks so she removes them.
-Before she tees off, she has second thoughts and replaces the tee blocks where they were.
-Her ball ends up near a penalty zone marked by red stakes.
-Coming to her ball, she removes a red stake which would have hindered her swing, and proceeds to hit her ball which ends up near an out-of-bounds stake.
-Prior to hitting, she removes the white out-of-bounds stake interfering with her stance, hits and lands the ball on the green.
-She has a putt of 5 feet. The pin is not properly upright in the hole so she decides to straighten it out and then proceeds to hole her putt.