Hi Linda,
My buddy hit the wrong ball twice before he realized it was
the wrong ball. I know the penalty is 2 strokes for hitting the wrong ball, but
what about the second time? Is it a 4-stroke penalty?
Thanks,
Lou from Atlanta, Georgia
Dear Lou,
No. In stroke play, the penalty for hitting a wrong ball is
two strokes, no matter how many times you hit it. As soon as you realize your
mistake, you must abandon the wrong ball and play the correct ball. If you
don’t correct your mistake before you tee off on the next hole, you are
disqualified [Rule 15-3b]. Your score for the hole will be the total number of
strokes you played with the correct ball plus the two-stroke penalty for
hitting a wrong ball. If you are unable to find your original ball, you will have to play another ball under penalty of stroke and distance [Rule 27-1c].
In match play, you would simply lose the hole.
Linda
Copyright © 2016 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
