Ball moving during putting stroke?

[stokie_93]

Played with my friend the other night just a casual friendly 9 holes.

On our 4th he had a putt for a par, when he moved the club back for his backstroke the ball trickled backwards about an inch and he followed through and holed the putt.

I know it's a stroke penalty if he addressed the ball, didn't make the stroke and that happened but is there any penalty for the above scenario?

Thanks!

 

[Region3]

There is still the penalty for moving the ball (unless you agree something else caused it to move) but if he continues with the stroke there is no extra penalty for failing to replace the ball.

 

[stokie_93]

There is still the penalty for moving the ball (unless you agree something else caused it to move) but if he continues with the stroke there is no extra penalty for failing to replace the ball.

it seemed like his putter was holding the ball up from moving then when he has played the stroke it moved.

1 shot penalty then?

 

[Region3]

Yes.

If he'd stopped and readdressed the ball then he needs to replace the ball otherwise it's another penalty stroke, but because he went through with the stroke and the ball moved during that time, there's no additional penalty for not replacing it.

 

[srixon 1]

What happens if you touch the ball with your putter but the ball does not move, or it oscillates slightly? Should you add a penalty stroke for this?

 

[Region3]

What happens if you touch the ball with your putter but the ball does not move, or it oscillates slightly? Should you add a penalty stroke for this?

I don't think so, if the ball definitely didn't move and the touch with the putter wasn't intentional.

Not 100% sure though so would defer to an expert.

 

[Fyldewhite]

What happens if you touch the ball with your putter but the ball does not move, or it oscillates slightly? Should you add a penalty stroke for this?

No. Oscillating is not the same as moving. To move under the rules it has to come to rest in a different place. There is no penalty either for touching the ball with your club or anything else for that matter as long as it doesn't move, intentional or not.

 

[pogle]

No. Oscillating is not the same as moving. To move under the rules it has to come to rest in a different place. There is no penalty either for touching the ball with your club or anything else for that matter as long as it doesn't move, intentional or not.

Not quite. From Rule 18-2

Except as permitted by the Rules, when a player’s ball is in play, if

(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies :

• lifts or moves the ball,
• touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing the ball), or
• causes the ball to move , or

(ii) the equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move , the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.

So, you're not allowed to touch the ball deliberately unless you're addressing it, even if the ball doesn't move.

 

[rulefan]

I know it's a stroke penalty if he addressed the ball,

Simply addressing the ball and its moving is not an automatic penalty (since 1 Jan). The player is not penalised if he did not cause it to move (in any situation). Previously, addressing it was sufficient for him to be deemed to have moved it.

See http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-18,d18-2-0.5

 

[stokie_93]

Simply addressing the ball and its moving is not an automatic penalty (since 1 Jan). The player is not penalised if he did not cause it to move (in any situation). Previously, addressing it was sufficient for him to be deemed to have moved it.

See http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-18,d18-2-0.5

So what was the whole Dustin Johnson scenario about then?!

 

[duncan mackie]

So what was the whole Dustin Johnson scenario about then?!

1. It was nothing no do with addressing the ball (everyone accepts, and accepted that he didn't. ..)

2. He was adjudged to have caused the ball to move by his actions in line with decision 18-2/0.5

If you read this decision, and 34-3/7 & 34-3/9 you will see how it all fitted together (and wonder what all the fuss the commentators made at the time - and subsequently - was about)

 

[chrisd]

1. It was nothing no do with addressing the ball (everyone accepts, and accepted that he didn't. ..)

2. He was adjudged to have caused the ball to move by his actions in line with decision 18-2/0.5

If you read this decision, and 34-3/7 & 34-3/9 you will see how it all fitted together (and wonder what all the fuss the commentators made at the time - and subsequently - was about)

Perhaps Sky should join the forum, they'd get a quick and accurate answer from the experts here and it'd save all the fuss they caused

 

[duncan mackie]

Perhaps Sky should join the forum, they'd get a quick and accurate answer from the experts here and it'd save all the fuss they caused

It didn't help that Butch became so fanatically protective of DJ...but generally they should stick to being golf pundits rather than rules ones.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Not quite. From Rule 18-2

Except as permitted by the Rules, when a player’s ball is in play, if

(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies :

• lifts or moves the ball,
• touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing the ball), or
• causes the ball to move , or

(ii) the equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move , the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.

So, you're not allowed to touch the ball deliberately unless you're addressing it, even if the ball doesn't move.

Ah, good point!