That is not correct. The regulations about carriage of poles on aircraft are made by the national air safety regulators, not by the airlines. They are banned as cabin baggage around the world in the national legislation or regulations of the US, EU, Canada, Australia, etc, etc, etc, so you are breaking the law to carry them on as cabin baggage. However, this seems to be a bit like speeding or taking small amounts of illegal recreational drugs, and some forum members have a cavalier attitude to compliance - if you don't get caught, don't worry.
So by all means, join the scofflaws and attempt to carry them on as cabin baggage. The evidence here is that this will work from most places in the US. If you leave from Santiago airport, the security staff have a reputation for requiring strict compliance with the regulations, and won't let them on as cabin baggage.