Home � Rules In Action � HITTING THE BALL TWICE

HITTING THE BALL TWICE

Posted by @pgabsec Rules In Action 7:48 AM

Text Size : [+] | [-]

Dear Zainudin,

While chipping onto the green from thick grass, my opponent hit the ball twice. In attempting to remain within the rules, He counted the stroke and added a penalty stroke, for a total of two. I objected, stating that since the ball was hit twice, two strokes should be counted and a penalty stroke added, for a total of three. Am I correct?

Zainudin Answers:

According to Rule 14-4, your opponent is correct in his assessment. Essentially, he only made one stroke at the ball. The penalty effectively makes up for the second contact with the ball.

=========================================

One of our members emailed as follow: "Dear Zainudin & Omar, FYI, the player doesn't incurred any penalty at all. The 2 strokes he incurred is the actual strokes taken by him...."

Reply by Zainudin:

Thanks for your respond. In order for a stroke to be counted as stroke, Rule 14.1 must apply i.e. The ball must be fairly struck at with the head of the club and must not be pushed, scraped or spooned. Otherwise, Rule 14-4. (Striking the Ball More than Once) applies. That is "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" [Remember, you must not strike your ball while it is moving (in motion) except in water]

Encik Ismawi Haji Batu further clarified,

A "stroke" is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke. In the case, the player was making only ONE stroke. So count only one stroke. Then penalise him 1 stroke for making contact with the ball more than once in the course of making a stroke (14-4) which needs no further interpretation. I remind that in adjudicating any rule dispute, the format of play need to be established first because the penalty differs. In match play it would be loss of hole. >