Rules of the Game
E-mail to USGA rules Officials
From: Kevin Schreiber
Subject: Is there a penalty for the following
The player has the ball on the tee and is ready. For some unknown reason,
when he swings, he completely missed the ball and it remains on the tee.
Is there a penalty stroke?
Please advise.
Kevin Schreiber
Response from the USGA Rules official
Dear Kevin,
In regards to the situation you describe, see the Definition of "Stroke." If the player intended to strike and move the ball but simply whiffed it, the stroke counts and the ball is in play. The player's next stroke at the ball was his second.
"Stroke - Definition"
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.
The Definitions, Rules of Golf and the Decisions on the Rules of Golf are posted on the USGA web site at www.usga.org.
Thank you for your interest in the Rules of Golf.
Genger A. Fahleson, Ph.D.
Director, Rules Education
United States Golf Association
P.O. Box 708, 77 Liberty Corner Road
Far Hills, NJ 07931
(908) 234-2300 x1228
FAX (908) 234-9687
www.usga.org
gfahleson@usga.org
Changing golf balls during a hole or a stipulated round
Q. May a player change golf balls during the play of a hole or a stipulated round? When the player is permitted to substitute another
golf ball may he change to a ball of a different brand or type?
A. Rules 15-1 and 15-2 explain that the player must complete play of the hole with the ball with which he began the hole unless he is proceeding under a Rule that permits him to substitute a ball. The player may change balls between the play of two holes as well.
Rules 26-1 (Water Hazard Rule), 27-1 (Ball Lost or Out of Bounds) and 28 (Ball Unplayable) are examples of Rules that permit the player to substitute another ball. Rule 5-3 permits a player to substitute another ball during the play of a hole when his original ball has become unfit for play during the play of that hole. Other Rules (e.g. Rule 18, Rule 24, and Rule 25-1) permit the player to substitute another ball only if the original ball is not immediately recoverable.
=> Note that Rule 16-1b, the Rule that allows the player to lift his ball from the putting green, does not permit the player to substitute another ball; this precludes the player from substituting a “putting ball.”