A free whiff...or a stroke 'in anger'?

billyg

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Not quite of the gravity of other rules related discussion but just a point of order really.

I'm often telling my girlfriend when we play that if she whiffs a shot but meant it as a stroke in anger it gets carded. It might be possible theres a grey area between the two but I think we all the know the slight diffence in the tightness of the shoulders, the swing speed etc. It doesn't much matter to us at the moment as were not turning in cards but it will do soon and I want us to get it right from the off.

It's frankly amazing the amount of golfers I see do this. Of course it's only speculation as i'm not seeing their cards but I would give fair odds that they don't get marked.

The missus and I have a fairly healthy competative streak but only derive satisfaction(and often money) from a honest victory.

Have tried wading through the rule book but it's a little turgid compared to say, War and Peace so thought I might ask here.

While were at it which book of 'The rules of Golf illustrated and/or made more palletable for people with a woefully short attention span' might our learned members recommend?

bill
 

StuartD

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Tiger Woods last years Masters??

As far as i am concerned that was a fresh air shot. Shows it could be a grey area if somebody claims the same
 

John_Findlay

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If you deliberately attempt to stop your downswing then it's not a stroke. Easy for Tiger, being the best golfer in the world, to convince people of that but maybe a bit harder for a 36 handicapper. The rules are crystal clear. It's just down to the facts, Stuart.
 

StuartD

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Maybe playing devils advocate here.

I agree the rules are clear but Tigers' swing that day completed a full follow through. From the swing alone did it look like he attempted to stop? I don't think so. He did follow a different from normal path I will admit. If his word says he did try to stop, we should accept it but not that of a higher handicapper?

Had it been another lesser player that day would he have got the same ruling. We have seen Tiger get favourable rulings before (Carnoustie Cables free lift).

We have seen a referee refuse Chad Campbells word this year (He was blatantly wrong) but would tiger have been told the same??

I may have gone slightly off topic with this anti-Tiger rant but i am bored at work today :D :D
 

John_Findlay

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Don't mind ranting about Tiger, myself, Stuart. Not a big fan of his special rulings tricks.

Are we both talking about the same shot? The one where the bird flew into his path. If so, it wasn't an attempt to fairly strike at the ball. No penalty, in my mind. A high handicapper might not get away with that one, I'm afraid.

It's abit like the free ball shot in snooker. The pros won't get away with deliberately missing the ball when they're snookered but we will cos' we don't have their skill. It depends on what the referee thinks of your competence.

You don't seriously think Tiger Woods is gonna miss a ball which is teed up, do you?
 

StuartD

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Yes thats the one.


I don't think he would miss a ball thats teed up. Would make me feel better if he did though!!!!

I just think its a bit of a grey area. Did the bird put him off and make him miss? Maybe but unlikely. Did he see the bird as he started the downswing at 100mph, or whatever it is, and manage to stop/change the path of his swing? At that speed it's just as unlikely but the referee took his word that he did.

I just wonder if a lesser tour pro would have got the same ruling.

Wow passed 20 minutes of the day now :D
 

John_Findlay

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Did he see the bird as he started the downswing at 100mph, or whatever it is, and manage to stop/change the path of his swing?

Yes, I think he did, Stuart. Seen him do it a few times, the show-off. The swing-vision camera caught it all and it looked deliberate.

I'll let him off this time. Still rankles me about the 40 minute hunt for the ball on the roof thing, though. What happened to the 5 minute rule there!? Hmmmmmmm.
 

billyg

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I'm going off my own topic here but what the hey.

Ive seen the bird incident too.

He addressed the ball and started a stroke in anger- according to ruling above thats enough to make it count. He then goes on to pull out ostencibly on the grounds that the bird put him off. Was it that or the thought that he might have fired both barrels out of kilter- so to speak? well never know. Why gamble on the debatable when the conditions of a strike were met?

Think he very lucky to get away with it.

If your watching this Mrs. Billy g- no , a lickle wickle bunny wunny bouncing onto the fairway doesn't count either right :rolleyes:
 

StuartD

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Oh forgot about one. At the NEC Bridgestone Invitational i think it was. I'll add it to my anti-Tiger rant list.

I have never seen clips of him doing it again. If he can and has i suppose I will have to let it go as much as it pains me!!!!!!
 
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