Hitting the ball twice in one shot

[Foxholer]

Not for the trainee pro apparently.

'nuff said!

I've never seen anyone in 45 years hit the ball 3 times

It's happened to me at least twice - once with the clubhead each time; once with the clubhead twice and then the shaft once! My chipping has improved, but still pretty dodgy - and getting far too much practice!

 

[backwoodsman]

As has been said on here many a time, just read and follow the rules as they are written. And remember we count 'strokes' (for which you need to remember the definition) and not 'hits' or 'shots'. In the hit ball twice situation described by OP just count how many strokes have been made, and add one 'penalty stroke' as required by 14-4. Or as rulefan puts it, 1+1.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'd say simply that clearly the first contact in the swing is fine - the second is not and you are penalised. And at that point anything that happens subsequent in that stroke is irrelevant for penalties. The 2nd hit triggers the penalty. If a 3rd hit in the same stroke propels the ball into the hole then that is good fortune and rub of green? You still only add one pen shot. But as noted would all have to happen in one stroke.

 

[bladeplayer]

I had a bit of a debate with our trainee pro today regarding an incident that occurred involving one of his playing partners today. His PP was putting and somehow managed to hit the ball twice in making a stroke.
He advised me that his playing partner had applied a 2 shot penalty to his score. I queried this as I was under the impression that hitting the ball twice just counted at 2 shots.
We checked the rule book and then the R&A decisions book but for some reason our interpretation of the decision was different.

The rule in question is:
14-4 - Striking the Ball More Than Once
If a player’s club strikes the ball more than once in the course of a stroke, the player must count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all.

There were 2 interpretations of this. My question is:
You've hit your tee shot on a par 3. You then stand over your ball to play your second shot. As you make you stroke you manage to hit the ball twice. The ball goes in the hole. The debate is would you have holed out for 3 or 4 shots?

We both had a very strong view that our interpretation is correct. Can a rules guru please clarify.

I'd appreciate your help. I was going to query with the R&A but was hoping someone could confirm on here without having to bother them

Im no rules guru but have a "healthy" interest in the rules coz i like the game ,,
To most of us the rules can seem complicated but when you do find the rule as you did , take it as read

 

[Crow]

I'm intrigued now Crow, how does that happen? I've had to call double hits on myself a few times trying to get out of bunkers or duffing a flop shot, but how do you get to three?

Playing from under a tree in the rough, my planned superb punched chip turned into more of a scabby drag/scrape of the club with a flourish at the end.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Rule of thumb that I use - maybe it is always the case - is that it is the first infringement that determines the penalty. The ball can then be considered to be 'not in play' so anything that subsequently happens to the ball in respect of penalties is irrelevant. What has happened to the ball subsequent to the infringement may affect the options available to the player under the ruling - but not the ruling itself.

 

[Colin L]

Rule of thumb that I use - maybe it is always the case - is that it is the first infringement that determines the penalty. The ball can then be considered to be 'not in play' so anything that subsequently happens to the ball in respect of penalties is irrelevant. What has happened to the ball subsequent to the infringement may affect the options available to the player under the ruling - but not the ruling itself.

I know you put inverted commas around "not in play", but it seems misleading to use the words when the ball after a multiple hit is in play. What's so difficult with just understanding that if you hit the ball more than once with one stroke, there is a penalty of one stroke to add on?