Putting

[forbesie]

Me & my cronies were having a discussion about the rules after an incident today.

One of my playing partners, on the green, was having a couple of practice swings prior to putting and accidently hit his ball. It was replaced in the correct place and a penalty shot added (I think that is correct). He then putted out.

Our thoughts were then on what would happen if he had holed the putt with his unintended shot. (Hope this scenario makes sense.)Obviously he could claim it was his shot, but let's just say he said "oops that was my practice swing, I did not mean to hit it".

The understanding of my group is that once the ball is holed, that hole is finished. We also thought that a stroke was a deliberate movement to hit the ball.

So if you do not make a deliberate attempt to strike the ball, but hit it by mistake, can the hole be finished by not making a deliberate stroke, or is it replace ball and add penalty. (clear as mud I know but best as I can manage)

[Blofeld]

You final question is pretty unclear but simply if you hit the ball whilst making a practise swing (i.e have no intention of hitting the ball) then it is replaced as it lay and a penalty stroke added. In your post it seems that you proceeded correctly.

now....given that a practice swing is not actually a stroke then I believe that if you should accidentally move the ball with your practice swing and by some freak it goes in the hole, because you havent holed out by actually making a stroke the fact that the ball is in the hole is irrelevant...you have  moved the ball and it still must be replaced and a penalty shot added.

my interpretation

However.....it would not surprise me if the correct ruling is "that you are deemed to have holed out with the practise swing but becasue you didnt make a stroke at the ball then you add 2 penalty strokes".

[Tin Pot]

No penalty for accidentally hitting the ball on a practise swing, but the ball must be replaced.

[mattyarse]

No penalty for accidentally hitting the ball on a practise swing, but the ball must be replaced.

Really?  Why would it not just count as a stroke, and you play your next shot from where it ends up?  (So if your 'practice' stroke holes it, then all well and good)?

N.B. I'm not challenging either of the views already articulated, merely trying to understand why it wouldn't work like that?

[Stu-Pid]

No penalty for accidentally hitting the ball on a practise swing, but the ball must be replaced.

 

And you were ranting about other people not knowing the rules?   

The only time when hitting the ball with a practice swing 'doesn't count' is on the tee, as the ball is not in play until you have made a swing attempting to hit it.  If the ball moves due to you, your club, your equipment, or your caddie touching it or touching an area around it, then it is a penalty shot.

Please tell me that you haven't simply replaced the ball without penalty on one on your competition rounds? 

[Tin Pot]

And you were ranting about other people not knowing the rules?   

[mattyarse]

To add a bit more to that, is there not a rule about when you address the ball, if it oscilates but comes back to rest in it's original position it is not a penalty?  (I guess this could come down to a ruling about what constitutes 'moving').

[Blofeld]

To add a bit more to that, is there not a rule about when you address the ball, if it oscilates but comes back to rest in it's original position it is not a penalty?  (I guess this could come down to a ruling about what constitutes 'moving').

Read the definitions at the front of the rule book....

Move or Moved

"A ball is deemed to have moved if it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other place"

[Fieldsy]

No penalty for accidentally hitting the ball on a practise swing, but the ball must be replaced.

Pretty certain that Skunk golfer is right on this one

Ah, too slow as usual 

[mattyarse]

Read the definitions at the front of the rule book....

Move or Moved

"A ball is deemed to have moved if it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other place"

Cheers Nick!

[forbesie]

Cheers for your input guys.

My thoughts were 1 shot penalty & replace ball but was not sure about that.

[Stu-Pid]

Cheers for your input guys.

My thoughts were 1 shot penalty & replace ball but was not sure about that.

Yep, simple rule of thumb is that if you move the ball when you didn't mean to (regardless of where it moves to), put it back where it was and add a shot.

[inoculator]

Move or Moved

"A ball is deemed to have moved if it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other place"
[/quote]

So if it returns to the original spot after the movement, it is not "any other place" so no penalty?

[mattyarse]

Move or Moved

"A ball is deemed to have moved if it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other place"

Indeed.


So if it returns to the original spot after the movement, it is not "any other place" so no penalty?

Indeed.  That is how I would interpret that statement.

[Tin Pot]

Indeed.  That is how I would interpret that statement.

It's amazing how many people argue about this.  One guy I know is adamant it has to turn a full revolution

It is as you suspect, if the ball oscillates or moves in any way such that it has not travelled from it's original spot then you are fine.

This is why I fell foul of another rule earlier in the year, confusing that allowance with rotating a ball on the putting green which is an entirely different kettle of fish.