The Scene:
You hit a great approach shot that comes to rest about 10” from the hole. You walk up to your ball, ready to tap in for a birdie when your putter accidentally touches your ball. The ball moves, or at least it rocks towards the hole and then rocks back.
What would you do?
A. Tap in for a birdie but then add a one stroke penalty for causing your ball to move?
B. Tap in for your birdie with no penalty.
B is correct because your ball did not move.
Open your Rules of Golf book to page 3. This is Section II, DEFINITIONS. Now find the definition for ‘Move or Moved’. You will see the following:
A ball is deemed to have “moved’’ if it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other place.
Since your ball just rocked forward and then rocked back ending up in the same position it started out in, your ball has not moved. So there is no penalty and you can tap in for your birdie.
REMEMBER: If your ball doesn't actually move to a new location, just play it. There is no penalty.
1 comment:
Kathy, thanks for helping us understand the rules! I love your tips!
Today, my partner address his ball in the rough, and as he took the club back, the ball moved at the top of his backswing. He finished the shot, hitting the ball up onto the green.
Tell me, should he add a stroke penalty to his score?
Galen Miller
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