Dear Linda,
I have learned plenty from you about the rules of golf.
There was an issue of golf rules at my club yesterday.
At the 8th tee, my partner was getting ready to tee off. As part of his routine, he stood behind the ball and made a few FULL golf practice swings. On this occasion, when he took his second practice swing the club head hit the golf ball on the tee and the ball fell on the teeing ground about 2 meters away.
The contention is this:
1) Was that considered as a stroke at the ball, and he has to play the ball as it lies as a second stroke?
2) Or since it was a practice stroke (although he took the full back and forward practice stroke), he can go and pick up the ball and replace the ball onto the tee without any penalty, i.e., the ball had not been in play since it was his practice stroke.
One of us felt he had to play the second shot as it lies. Another golfer said since it was a practice stroke, then even if he hit the ball, it is not in play.
In a related situation, can a player hit a stray golf ball on the tee before he plays his ball on the tee?
Thank you,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
1. The ball is not in play until the player makes a stroke 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]. There is no penalty for accidentally hitting your ball on the teeing ground while taking a practice swing, regardless of how many swings you take and how full a swing you make. The player will retrieve the ball and re-tee it [Decision 18-2a/19].
2. Hitting a stray ball would be considered “practice.” The penalty for making a practice stroke is two strokes (loss of hole in match play). A full practice shot is not permitted anywhere, not even with a stray ball. The only practicing permitted during a round is putting or chipping on or near the putting green of the last hole played or the teeing ground of the next hole [Rule 7-2]. Please remember that any such putting or chipping should not be done if the players behind you are ready to hit onto the green or the next hole is free for you to begin play.
Linda
Copyright © 2011 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
