Thursday, January 28, 2016

Ask Linda #1243-Double hit out of bunker

Linda…on an explosion shot from the sand is it a penalty if the club strikes the ball after it has left the sand?  I ask this because it seems to me on an explosion shot the club never actually hits the ball (i.e., the movement of the sand propels the ball) and therefore even if the club makes contact while the ball is in flight it would be the first time the ball was struck (i.e., only a single hit).
Lou from Texas

Dear Lou,

Even though the clubhead does not contact the ball, the ball has been put into motion by the force of the club striking the sand. If the follow-through hits the ball, you incur a penalty for a double hit. Count the original stroke plus a one-shot penalty [Rule 14-4; Decision 14-4/3]. In the unlikely event that your club contacts the ball a third time during that same swing, you would still only count one stroke plus one penalty stroke – the penalty is for contacting the ball “more than once” during a single stroke.

Linda
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