MELTHAM were clubbed out of the Yorkshire Team championship at The Oaks, at York.

After posting a 609 total that would have qualified them to remain in Division Four next year, their four-man team was thrown out in unusual circumstances.

A putter used by anchorman Mark Garret was ruled illegal, he was disqualified, his second round 79 ruled out and the team disqualified along with him.

Yorkshire's ruling was that the grip of the club did not conform with the Rules of Golf.

Meltham will now have to start in Division Five of the Team championship next season.

The problem arose after Garret, a four handicap player, had the shaft of a standard length putter professionally extended to make a belly putter, a longer shafted type the top of which a player tucks into his midriff and which can have two grips slightly apart from each other.

The shaft extension included re-gripping the club which later was further re-gripped.

The unfortunate Garret said: "I was led to believe the putter was OK but I learned that the rules state that the gap between the grips have to be one and a half inches, not three as was the case. And the grips have to be totally circular, not flat fronted as mine was.

"It was the first time I had played in the Yorkshire Team championship and I was so disappointed for this to happen to the other lads. I played well in the second round but, ironcially, putted like a dog."

County officials emphasised that Garret had been a victim of misfortunate, inadvertently using a club which did not conform with Rule 4 of the Rules of Golf that relate to clubs, and that in no way had he sought to take an advantage.

When the club was spotted and then inspected by county officials they concluded it breached the rules.

"It was the grip on the putter that was non-conforming," said Yorkshire secretary Keith Dowswell. "We sympathised with the player, who accepted the ruling, but we had no option but to take the action we did."

Chris Mear, president-elect of the Halifax, Huddersfield Union, a member of the Meltham team, said:

"Mark was gutted, so were we all as we would have finished eighth and stayed up. It's one of those things you learn from."

Belly putters, shorter than the broom handle type, are growing in popularity and a number of top players use them on tour.

But there has already been a case of an American professional, in with a chance of winning a US Tour event, being disqualified in similar circumstances to those that affected Garret.

Graeme Clark, the England international steered Doncaster to the Division Four title as the leading individual on 136.

West End gained promotion in fourth place with Steve Martin scoring 73 74, Martin Godfrey 74 78, Frank Greaves 76 71 and Chris Ingham 71 76.