Is this shot legal?

[DappaDonDave]

The saucer pass, is it legal?

Can't find a rule that says it is but I think rule 14 (correct me) may mean it is?

[video=youtube_share;WhJ6ZB8koIo]http://youtu.be/WhJ6ZB8koIo[/video]

 

[ScienceBoy]

not suitable for most english inland fairways

It will work if your playing off perfect fairways every week, but not at my course at all!

 

[CMAC]

perfectly legal but doesnt look reliable or repeatable, too much room for error in dragging the ground before the ball imo

...and it looks daft

 

[Ethan]

Looks like spooning the ball to me.

 

[Crow]

Looks like spooning the ball to me.

Done properly, if you can do such a shot properly, it wouldn't be spooning, but I agree, the possibility of spooning is always going to be there.

Not a shot I'll be practising.

 

[Qwerty]

If it isn't illegal it should be IMO. Sliding the club along the ground isn't really golf is it.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

if you drag it along the ground to my mind this increases the chance of a double hit

I'll let Imurg try it out with his chipper

 

[Imurg]

if you drag it along the ground to my mind this increases the chance of a double hit

I'll let Imurg try it out with his chipper

At this point in time I would like to state that only 1 of the Family has EVER had a chipper in his bag.
And it wasn't me.........:ears:

 

[DappaDonDave]

Well it's worth a punt. I'm hoping to be joining fleetwood gc this year so could be useful on the links style course

Doesn't look like spooning, I thought spooning was basically placing the head near the ball and lifting it up and out.

 

[Qwerty]

Isnt that the standard grip for crazy golf!

 

[ScienceBoy]

Isnt that the standard grip for crazy golf!

A lot of decent players seem to use that, one thing I do notice is a lot have a nice "no wrists" stroke that looks a little weird.

I fair pretty well at the mini putting game, I would play it in preference to full golf if there was a big local scene for it, sadly there is not.

 

[Qwerty]

A lot of decent players seem to use that, one thing I do notice is a lot have a nice "no wrists" stroke that looks a little weird.

I fair pretty well at the mini putting game, I would play it in preference to full golf if there was a big local scene for it, sadly there is not.

I agree!
You should see my Tiger style knockdown Stinger though the windmills. Works everytime :thup:

 

[MashieNiblick]

Looks a bit dodgy to me. There must be a reason why you never see people play a shot in this way.

Just had a quick look at the Decisions for Rule 14 and Decision 14-1/4 - Striking Ball with Half an Inch Backswing, says in part

"In order to strike the ball fairly, it must be swung at with the clubhead. If the ball is moved by any other method, it has been pushed, scraped or spooned."

"If a ball is fairly struck at, there is only momentary contact between the clubhead and the ball or whatever intervenes between the clubhead and the ball."

I don't think in this case the club head has been swung at the ball. On the other hand he seems to flick at the ball at the end rather than push it and contact does seem only momentary.

Decision 14-1/2 Striking Ball with Billiard-Type Motion indicates however that a billiards style shot even with the bottom of the clubhead is in itself considered a push.

Would love to see an opinion from the R&A though. Wonder if JezzE or someone at GM could arranage that.

 

[DCB]

It's either a push or a scrape, so not a legal shot in my book.

 

[DappaDonDave]

That was the rule I meant. I can't see it being any of those descriptions, although the club is not swung in the usual sense it doesn't incur movement well before the ball is struck, would taking a massive divot before the ball also be classed as illegal as the club has rubbed on/through the grass before being hit.


An official ruling would be nice!

Also, can someone post a video of them attempting this, more for comedy value. If the shot could be aimed towards a neighbours house that would be so totally gnarly and awesome and all those cool words yout''s use

[video=youtube_share;Z5xJHzi8pr8]http://youtu.be/Z5xJHzi8pr8[/video]

 

[BTatHome]

Would love to see an opinion from the R&A though. Wonder if JezzE or someone at GM could arranage that.

One of the guys on another forum asked, here is his reply to the same question ....

.mmm....

I sent a link of the video to the R&A for comment and they have responded telling me that the stroke is a scrape and breaches 14-1.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

No idea if it's legal but doesn't look like it should be. Besides, to me if you're gonna do that you might as well get a chipper as you have clearly given up. In any case, try that on the fairways in this country most of the year, your club will be stacked with mud and water before it hits the ball

 

[duncan mackie]

One of the guys on another forum asked, here is his reply to the same question ....


I sent a link of the video to the R&A for comment and they have responded telling me that the stroke is a scrape and breaches 14-1.

whilst this was posted, I have yet to speak to an RO who shares this view.

it's also unusual for the R&A to make such a response for publication like that

it's been discussed on numerous forums, with most of the posts on this one reflecting opinions.

I met it the first time on the thread referenced above, and my quick reaction was also 'scrape' - by the morning I'd reviewed my view in the cold light of day and reflected that in general scrapes, pushes and scoops are all characterised by the clubhead starting in the proximity of the ball - and this doesn't.

It's also important to consider the application of any 'ruling' to other play - and to rule that this is a scrape requires the appropriate definition of why this is a scrape and a player putting where the sole of the putter is in contact with the ball isn't scraping!

There is definitely no requirement for a backswing for the same reason - it would mean that any player stopping at the top would be in breach; and that's before the technical argument that everyone stops at the top and it's just a question as to 'for how long'.

There's also no requirement for the players hands to be together for the swing.

Personally I can see no basis for this being illegal.

Because it's doing the rounds in this way, and you have the above comment purporting to be an R&A response, it would certainly be helpful to get clarification.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I guess if the R&A says it's illegal that wraps it up then. Don't do it kids

 

[DappaDonDave]

I guess if the R&A says it's illegal that wraps it up then. Don't do it kids

Ah, you see, a guy saying the R and A says isn't the same as the R and A saying it.