Rules question: moving ball = penalty?

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slugger

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We played match play in a howling gale yesterday. The wind was so strong that when i was preparing to take a putt on the 2nd hole, a gust of wind came along and blew my ball away. I had addressed the ball, but never touched it and away it went.

At the time, my playing buddy said it was a penalty stroke against me and it cost me the hole. I had a quick read of the rule book but couldn't find anything relating directly to the wind blowing the ball on the green.

I accepted the penalty but was that the right thing to do?
 
18-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment
a. General
When a player’s ball is in play, if:
(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies lifts or moves it,
touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing it)
or causes it to move except as permitted by a Rule, or
(ii) equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move,
the player incurs a penalty of one stroke. If the ball is moved, it must be
replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has
begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke
and the stroke is made.
Under the Rules there is no penalty if a player accidentally causes his
ball to move in the following circumstances:
• In searching for a ball in a hazard covered by loose impediments
or sand, for a ball in an obstruction or abnormal ground condition
or for a ball believed to be in water in a water hazard – Rule 12-1
• In repairing a hole plug or ball mark – Rule 16-1c
• In measuring – Rule 18-6
• In lifting a ball under a Rule – Rule 20-1
• In placing or replacing a ball under a Rule – Rule 20-3a
• In removing a loose impediment on the putting green – Rule 23-1
• In removing movable obstructions – Rule 24-1
b. Ball Moving After Address
If a player’s ball in play moves after he has addressed it (other than as a
result of a stroke), the player is deemed to have moved the ball and
incurs a penalty of one stroke.The ball must be replaced, unless the
movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the
backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.

See 18-2b ball moving after address - I know it seems harsh but its in there
 
Whilst putting you address the ball and it moves = one penalty shot, if you are off the green and ground the club and the ball moves, its the same penalty but not so if you don't ground the club and the ball moves.
 
Whilst putting you address the ball and it moves = one penalty shot, if you are off the green and ground the club and the ball moves, its the same penalty but not so if you don't ground the club and the ball moves.
Click to expand...

I would check with that because thats not what the rules imply - but what do I know I only follow them not make them
 
Slugger did you ground the club, if so you are liable for penalty, if you hover without grounding, you are not classed as addressing the ball... Even though you are... odd but there you go.

But just try hovering a putter without grounding when its blowing a hooly. Its damn near imposible & i hover my clubs.
 
I mentioned this as I was pulled on it the other week, I was in the fringe and though addressed the ball not grounded my putter and the ball was blown into a divot/WW2 German bomb hole and the fella asked if I had grounded my club and I said no and he mentioned that if I had grounded my club off the green it would have been a penalty.
 
Addressing the Ball
A player has “addressed the ball’’ when he has taken his stance and has also grounded his club, except that in a hazard a player has addressed the ball when he has taken his stance.

Seems the guy was right found this sorry I always get worried when I hear the words "someone said"
 
Is this a confusing, unfair rule or what?
And why is it the players fault if the wind blows it away? Its penalty enough if its blown further from the hole without having to add a shot.

Why not have it - if the wind blows it from position A then it gets replaced. No penalty. If it won't stay there then replace as near as possible no closer to the hole.

Its no wonder most people don't know all the rules.
 
But on the flip side its not your opponents fault if your ball is blown 5ft closer to the hole and you have no penalty to take!!

I think the major pointer here is in grounding your club, i've played with a lad that grounds his club less than 1/100th of a millimetre behind his ball on the green and in one round saw the ball move 3 times on the green, then me, i always ground the club about 2-3 inches behind the ball. I've also played with a fella who used to ground his club so hard he would leave an imprint in greens.

Its so easy to make the ball move by grounding, in my opinion the rule is fair and just!
 
Ball moved after grounding your putter, one shot penalty and replace the ball.
I always find if difficult to hover the club and putt when its blowing a gale.
 
My reading of the rule is that if your ball moves after you have addressed it, you have a penalty of 1 stroke, but you MUST replace the ball.
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Indeed. I think when people are refering to balls rolling away from the green or nearer the hole, or even in, they are refering to that period before reaching the ball & before addressing. Or at least I hope they are.

At full address, it would need replacing as you say.
 
Is this a confusing, unfair rule or what?
And why is it the players fault if the wind blows it away? Its penalty enough if its blown further from the hole without having to add a shot.

Why not have it - if the wind blows it from position A then it gets replaced. No penalty. If it won't stay there then replace as near as possible no closer to the hole.

Its no wonder most people don't know all the rules.
Click to expand...


Mmmmmm truer words have never been spoken!Ball gets replaced under penalty.
 
The question I have is...... when exactly is the club grounded????

Is it when it touches a blade of grass, pressing into the grass or actually "resting" i.e. having some of the weight of the club supported??

Confused of Bromley :) :D
 
The question I have is...... when exactly is the club grounded????

Is it when it touches a blade of grass, pressing into the grass or actually "resting" i.e. having some of the weight of the club supported??

Confused of Bromley :) :D
Click to expand...

The decisions book has the following
Q. When is a club considered grounded in long grass.
A. When the grass is compressed to the point where it will support the weight of the club.

Whilst not an exact answer, it certainly implies that "grounded" is when the weight of the club is no longer being supported solely by the player. Think of it as when you let go of the club, it won't drop any closer to the ground - ie the last of your choices
 
The first think i do when putting is ground the club and set up the line of my shot...

one thing though, i never put the ball back where it came from and continued to play from where it had been blown to. Is this a further strokes penalty?

:D

flippin' stupid rule.
 
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