Hi Linda,
I have a question please.
A competitor places the ball on a tee on the teeing ground
for his first shot. He stands ready for the shot but with the club head not on
the ball but very close to it.
He takes a practice swing, which is a full swing but for him
it is a practice swing. By mistake he touches the ball with the toe of the club
and the ball runs 90 degrees to the direction of swing.
What is the rule and why please.
Thanks & Regards,
Lou from Israel
Dear Lou,
A ball is not “in play” until the player has made a stroke at it from
the teeing ground [Definition of “Ball in Play”]. A practice swing is not a
stroke, since there is no intention to hit the ball [Definition of “Stroke”].
When a player tees up his ball on the teeing ground, and accidentally
moves his ball with a practice swing, he incurs no penalty for moving
the ball because the ball is not in play. He may retrieve the ball or place
another one on the tee [Decision 18-2/19].
The ruling is different for a ball in play. After the player has made his first stroke on the hole (including a whiff, which counts as a stroke since the player intended to hit the ball), he will incur a one-stroke penalty if he accidentally moves his
ball in play with a practice swing, and he must replace the ball [Decision
18-2/20].
Linda
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