Linda…on a recent windy day one guy in my group noticed the
ball move on the green just as he was starting his back stroke. He was
unable to stop his swing and struck the putt anyway. He really was not
sure if he hit a ball in while still in motion or if the ball had already
stopped moving but he knew the ball moved a little bit during his
backswing. What is the ruling in this case?
Thanks,
Lou from Texas
Dear Lou,
If everyone is certain that the wind moved the ball, there is
no penalty and the stroke counts.
If there is any doubt as to what caused the ball to move, the
player is considered responsible and he incurs a one-stroke penalty. There is no additional penalty for hitting
a moving ball once the player has started his backswing and makes his stroke.
If the player checks his swing before hitting the ball, (1)
he will play the ball as it lies from its new position if the wind blew it there, or (2) he must replace the ball and add
a one-stroke penalty to his score if there is any suspicion that he caused the ball to move [Rule
18-1b].
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
