ball moves at address

[rancherJ]

If a ball moves as I am taking the club back to strike the ball can I..
#1 stop mid swing and not add a stroke to my score
#2 continue with my swing without penalty

[Gary Hill]

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.

I will assume from the thread name that you have addressed the ball.

Neither choice is correct.

If the ball moves after the player has addressed it, he shall incur a penalty stroke.

Once a player has addressed the ball, he is responsible for the movement of the ball, whether or not he physically caused it to move.

They ball must be replaced or the player will incur an additional penalty stroke. However, if the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun his swing and he does not discontinue his swing, the ball does not have to be replaced and the player is exempted from the second penalty.

So, in both of your choices, you would incur a penalty stroke. However, if you stop your swing, you must replace the ball.

BTW - There is nothing in the Rules requiring a player to address the ball before a stroke.

[JimmyW]

....except that in a hazard a player has addressed the ball when he has taken his stance.

BTW - There is nothing in the Rules requiring a player to address the ball before a stroke.


Question Gary.

When are you "in" a hazard?? If you are on a bridge spanning a hazard with your ball on the bridge boards and you take your stance w/o "grounding" your club and it moves, what happens then? If you don't have to ground your club to address the ball, just take your stance, then as in a case like this it might be physically impossible to get close enough to address the ball w/o it moving.

JW

[Gary Hill]

re: When are you "in" a hazard??

There are two kinds of hazards. Bunkers and water hazards.
A ball is in a bunker when it lies in or any part of it touches the bunker. The margin of a bunker extends vertically downwards, but not upwards.
A ball is in a water hazard when it lies in or any part of it touches the water hazard. The margin of a water hazard extends vertically upwards and downwards.

re: Bridge spanning hazard.

The margin of a water hazard extends vertically upwards. Therefore, the bridge is IN the hazard. However, your ball is ON an immovable obstruction (the bridge).

Unfortunately, there is no free relief from an immovable obstruction in a water hazard.

(FYI -You do get relief from an immovable obstruction in a bunker)

Now we have to get a little technical.
The Rules say nothing about "grounding your club" in a hazard.

What they do say is:
The player shall not touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with a club or otherwise.

The Note to Rule 13-4 (Ball in Hazard) specifically allows the player, at any time, to touch with a club or otherwise any obstruction, any construction, or any grass, bush, tree, or other growing thing.

Players often think nothing can be "touched" in a hazard, when, in reality, the ground/water cannot be touched with a club in a hazard.

So, in short: Yes, you may ground your club on a bridge spanning a hazard.

re: you take your stance w/o grounding your club and the ball moves, what happens then?

Well, ball moving after address is a specific case.
If your ball moves and you have not address it, then you go to the more general Rule 18-2a. Ball at rest moved by player.

This rule basically says that if the player, his caddie, or his equipment CAUSES the ball to move, it is a penalty.

So, some determination of the facts must be made as to whether the movement of the ball was caused by the player or by some other source.

It would seem unlikely to me that a bridge would be so unstable as to make it physically impossible to get close to the ball without the ball moving.

BTW - There is also nothing in the Rules requiring the player to take a stance. You can "Happy Gilmour" the ball if you want.

[JimmyW]

Thanks for the quick response Gary.

PS I saw the time of your post; do you ever sleep??:sleepy
PPS How's the back?



JW