Linda,
There have been instances when a player would incur a
penalty for practice swings in a hazard that went through the grass but did not
involve grounding the club. The player might have been considered to have
tested the hazard if, for example, the grass is long and the practice swings
would give him information about how well the club could get through the grass.
This is obviously an infrequent event but the USGA has ruled this way on
occasion.
Lou, a rules official from Austin, Texas
