Not hitting the ball

[Ant]

A player addresses his ball and makes a swing. His intention is to strike the ball. His club is impeded on the way to the ball and does not pass the ball. Stroke counted or not?

[Mike]

A player addresses his ball and makes a swing. His intention is to strike the ball. His club is impeded on the way to the ball and does not pass the ball. Stroke counted or not?

Yes I think so.

For example, imagine the shot was in the rough and you snaked the club on heavy grass before the ball. Still a shot in my opinion.

[srp973]

Yes - think it was Garcia a few years back where he addressed the ball and then moved away to take another look, but the ball moved in the rough and then it was a penalty as he had addressed the ball.

The reason I believe why a lot of the players hover the club on shots.......

[Ant]

The ball did not move in the example.

I've found what I think is the ruling.

14/1 Club Stopped on Downswing by Agency Other Than Player

Q. If a player starts his downswing and his clubhead is deflected or stopped by an agency other than himself, e.g. the branch of a tree, is he deemed to have made a stroke?

A. Yes

[Alan Pllu]

only way that it isnt a stroke after you have made a swing is if you phisically stop yourself mid swing. think woods did this in the masters a few years ago when a bird flew past him on his downswing. If a forgein body stops you from making the swing then you are still deemed to have made an attempt at hitting the ball so counts as a stroke just like a fresh air shot.

[Ant]

Indeed. If you decide mid swing to not strike the ball and manage to avoid hitting it that is not a stroke, however it relies on the honesty of the player to declare their intent.

[Stu-Pid]

The ball did not move in the example.

I've found what I think is the ruling.

14/1 Club Stopped on Downswing by Agency Other Than Player

Q. If a player starts his downswing and his clubhead is deflected or stopped by an agency other than himself, e.g. the branch of a tree, is he deemed to have made a stroke?

A. Yes

Presumably there should also be a caveat in there that an opponent or opponent's caddy can also not interfere with the swing, otherwise the Ryder Cup would become more like a Rugby match!

[Alan Pllu]

Presumably there should also be a caveat in there that an opponent or opponent's caddy can also not interfere with the swing, otherwise the Ryder Cup would become more like a Rugby match!

Lmao! Now there is a way of winning a hole! Might end up banned and get a sore face but effective none the less!

[wuuki456]

From the tee a few year ago just before impact my ball fell off  the tee peg which resulted in me barely hitting the toe of my club with the ball. I know if it falls off when you address it on the tee it doesn't count. Was I right to class it as a stroke then go and play it as it lay or should I have re loaded without penalty?

[Alan Pllu]

as far as I am aware you did right. I had the same thing happen to me in very windy conditions and I played it from where it ended up.

[Tomba]

From the tee a few year ago just before impact my ball fell off  the tee peg which resulted in me barely hitting the toe of my club with the ball. I know if it falls off when you address it on the tee it doesn't count. Was I right to class it as a stroke then go and play it as it lay or should I have re loaded without penalty?

Yep, stroke counts Rule 11-3

11-3. Ball Falling off Tee
If a ball, when not in play, falls off a tee or is knocked off a tee by the
player in addressing it, it may be re-teed, without penalty. However, if a
Rule 11 Teeing Ground
stroke is made at the ball in these circumstances, whether the ball is
moving or not, the stroke counts, but there is no penalty.

[Roland]

Ant,

You mean something like this?


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKANS5rnrqI[/youtube]

[Blofeld]

I like the way the pretentious t**t looks round and tries to give the bird the evil eye and then takes a couple of steps towards where it may be as though he's going to "teach it a lesson".

Get him on an MSG outing and see how he stands up to a bit of heckling.

[CapnAhab]

A player addresses his ball and makes a swing. His intention is to strike the ball. His club is impeded on the way to the ball and does not pass the ball. Stroke counted or not?

The definition of a stroke - A "stroke" is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke.

In the case you present - a stroke was indeed made.

[Ant]

I did it 3 times before advancing the ball