Linda,
Today, in a ladies league play, a lady teed up her ball and
swung with the intent of hitting it and missed. One lady told her it was not a
stroke, as the ball was not in play yet. I said well that's true if it was
a practice swing and you accidentally hit it while on the tee, but
it is a stroke if you swung with the intention of hitting it.
Am I correct??
Thank you.
Lou from North Carolina
Dear Lou,
Yes, you are correct. A whiff always counts as a stroke,
since a stroke is defined as the forward movement of the club with the intent
to hit the ball. The ball is in play as soon as the player tries to hit it,
regardless of whether the try is successful. Please suggest to the ladies that
they read the Definitions of "Ball in Play" and "Stroke."
A practice swing that accidentally hits a ball on the teeing
ground does not count, but a practice swing that moves a ball in play is a
one-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced [Rule 18-2a].
Linda
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