Dear readers,
A number of you were puzzled by the option to lift the ball
off the tee, remove the tee, and drop the ball after a whiff (air swing) that
does not disturb the ball [see Ask Linda #1330].
The ball is indeed in play, since the swing that missed the
ball was made with the intention to hit it [Definition of “Stroke”]. Now that
the ball is in play, it is sitting on a movable obstruction (the tee, or tee
peg). When the ball lies on a movable obstruction, the player is entitled to
lift the ball, remove the obstruction, and drop the ball as near as possible to
where it lay, no closer to the hole [Rule 24-1b].
Be aware that the player may not raise or lower the tee
before the next shot, as this would constitute moving the ball in play; the
player would incur a one-stroke penalty under Rule 18-2 (two strokes if the tee
is not returned to its original position – see Decision 18-2/1).
So two choices: hit the ball as it lies on the tee; or lift
the ball, remove the tee (movable obstruction), drop, and hit. In both cases, the player’s second
attempt to hit the ball would be her second
stroke on the hole. There is no stroke and distance penalty, since the ball was
never moved.
Linda
