Facts

In a recent a recent Four Ball competition, Reader TC approached the green where his fellow players awaited and announced that he had accidentally touched his ball while aligning his club prior to his pitch shot into the green. He stated that he had seen the ball quiver forward, but that it had quivered back into the exact same position as at address, and that it had never rolled or left its original spot. He didn’t think this incident merited an infraction, but he wanted to advise what happened just in case his observation did present an issue.

Two of the players thanked him for this admission, but suggested he had incurred a one stroke penalty for causing his ball to move. The other player stated that the contact as described was incidental and did not invoke the imposition of a penalty stroke.

Ruling

Indeed, TC would receive a penalty stroke if the touching was deliberate (whether or not the ball moved), or if he caused the ball to move. (R 9.4b). Certainly if TC had rested his club against the ball to better insure a precise stroke at impact, the touching would be deemed deliberate. As this touching by his testimony was clearly accidental, the remaining inquiry is whether he caused the ball to move as evidenced by the visible quiver.

The answer to this query depends upon the definition of “move”. A ball has moved “when it has left its original spot and come to rest on any other spot, and this can be seen by the naked eye…(T)his applies whether the ball has gone up, down, or horizontally in any direction from its original spot. If the ball at rest only wobbles (sometimes referred to as oscillating) and stays on or returns to its original spot, the ball has not ‘moved’. “ (See, Def., “Moved”). No penalty for TC!

Note that there are exceptions to the general rule which imposes a penalty for causing a ball to move, including accidental movement caused trying to find or identify a ball and also, accidental movement caused to a ball on a putting green… no matter how it happened.

Finally, know that if a player causes his ball to move, he must “replace” it in its original spot. (R9.4a). If he fails to do so, he has played from a wrong place, and receives the General Penalty (2 strokes-SP). He does not, however, receive the additional one stroke penalty for causing his ball to move. (See, R 1.3(c), Exception).

In the News

Congrats to Reader BS, who in addition to his acclaim as a Foremost Reader, joined rare company by winning his 10th title on the PGA Tour this week at Myrtle Beach, and who will serve as Captain for the good guys in this year’s Presidents Cup…no wobbles here ….and not bad for an “old guy”!

As usual, all comments or corrections are welcome!

Respectfully submitted,
F