Question about "at address"

[JimmyW]

It's happened to everybody

You're setting up, doing your pre-shot routine, whether it be the Sergio waggle or the Mike Weir three stop, and you accidently wobble your teed up ball off its tee. I'm 99% sure that after you place the ball back on the tee you are now hitting your second (or is it third?) shot. I remember Gary mentioning something about this back in June but I can't seem to find anything back in the OGC archives.

Thanks

Jim W

[Gary Hill]

A ball is not in play until the player has made a "stroke" at it on the teeing ground.

A "stroke'' is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of fairly striking at and moving the ball.

If a ball, when not in play, falls off a tee or is knocked off a tee by the player in addressing it, it may be re-teed without penalty - Rule 11-3.

Therefore, no harm, no foul, no penalty. Just replace the ball on the tee and start over. You are still hitting your first.