Missed ball completely on the green - striking the ball

[fullongolf]

Thanks for the link.

There is no question that it was a stroke.

I'll try and clarify the event; after missing his first putt, instead of taking the time to walk around and take a normal stance the player reached over the ball and attempted to hit it back toward the hole. The shot was with the face of the putter. The angle was too steep and the club hit the turf and stopped.

The only outside influence in this case was the brain fade by the player...

 

[Swango1980]

Interesting to know how often people have played in a group, and a player in the group has done precisely this? Gone to casually knock it in, and hit the ground before the ball, thus not hitting the ball. I've seen it loads of times over the years.

More interesting though, how many of those players automatically class that as a shot? I think, in my experience, nearly 100% of those golfers then just tap the ball in and don't class the missed shot as a stroke. I always have that desperate feeling in my head, telling me "ohh no, they've played a stroke and now I am going to have to inform them that is counts as a stroke, they won't be happy"

 

[Capway2]

Outside influences could be a bird flying in front of you as your on your downswing, ie ref Tiger Woods, managed to stop his club when a bird flew directly in front of hi, I think in The Masters.
or you get buzzed by a wasp on your downswing., if no deliberate attempt is made to play the ball then it is not a stroke.

 

[Slab]

The rule and definition make it clear it was a stroke but maybe an easier way to think about it is to treat it as you would an 'air shot'

Intented to hit the ball but didn't and nothing else to blame but the player

 

[backwoodsman]

I think this must be the first time I have outright disagreed with you. I just can't accept that the ground is an object and that consequently a dreadful swing at the ball with every intention of hitting it is not a stroke because my club hit the ground behind it and stopped. What you are saying in effect is that the planet is an object which, from a galactic perspective may well make sense but not in terms of the tiny animals standing on it such as you and me. A complete duff has to be a stroke. My putt pulls up short of the hole. Do I have to cancel the stroke because it has been stopped by the ground on which it was rolling i.e. an object? How many goes at holing it do I get?

Sorry Colin, but I think you've lost me?

Unless I'm reading your post wrongly, it appears you think that we think the shot should be cancelled? Certainly, that's not what I think (and it looks like Salfordlad agrees). If a stroke is stopped or deflected by an outside influence, it's still a stroke - that's what interpretation Stroke/1 clarifies isn't it?

 

[rulefan]

Colin had me puzzled at first but I think it's a stoke for him (and for me).

 

[Colin L]

Sorry Colin, but I think you've lost me?

Unless I'm reading your post wrongly, it appears you think that we think the shot should be cancelled? Certainly, that's not what I think (and it looks like Salfordlad agrees). If a stroke is stopped or deflected by an outside influence, it's still a stroke - that's what interpretation Stroke/1 clarifies isn't it?

Not at all. The stroke counts. I've deleted the post on the grounds it was garbage and confused you, rulefan and, on second reading, me. Maybe you could delete the quotation of it. ?

Ii do find, however, the concept of the ground (ie the entire planet) as an outside influence a tad difficult to grasp.

 

[salfordlad]

Not at all. The stroke counts. I've deleted the post on the grounds it was garbage and confused you, rulefan and, on second reading, me. Maybe you could delete the quotation of it. ?

Ii do find, however, the concept of the ground (ie the entire planet) as an outside influence a tad difficult to grasp.

Agree it's an odd concept: any person, animal or object other than you, partner, opponent or your/their caddies. Er, and we are not limited to things now on this entire planet. If a meteorite lands during your swing, that counts too - but you may not have the Rules in front of mind at that point.