rule question

[Kanoito]

So I was playing a foursome last weekend and one of the guys in the flight addressed the ball, swung at it, hit a HUGE divot, but didn't touch the ball.

Does that count as a stroke?

 

The other 2 guys said it counts, even if you don't touch the ball, because you had the intention of hitting it.

 

But then Kevin Na came to my mind. He had the intention of hitting the ball, but missed the drive on purpose to start over and they didn't count it as a stroke.

 

What's the correct ruling for such cases?

[Tony Covey MGS]

So I was playing a foursome last weekend and one of the guys in the flight addressed the ball, swung at it, hit a HUGE divot, but didn't touch the ball.

Does that count as a stroke?

 

The other 2 guys said it counts, even if you don't touch the ball, because you had the intention of hitting it.

 

But then Kevin Na came to my mind. He had the intention of hitting the ball, but missed the drive on purpose to start over and they didn't count it as a stroke.

 

What's the correct ruling for such cases?

 

Whether or not a golfer incurs a stroke often depends on intent. If your playing partner was trying to hit the ball, but whiffed, that still counts as a stroke (he intended to hit it).

 

When a golfer in inadvertently knocks his ball off the tee when his intent wasn't to hit the ball, it does not count as a stroke.

 

Out on the course, if you hit the ball during your waggle, routine whatever, and it moves, regardless of the fact that you didn't intend to hit it, you must replace it and take a one stroke penalty.

[Kanoito]

Thanks, T! 2 and 3 are clear.

 

So does this mean Kevin Na wasn't penalized, because they could all tell his intent was to whiff the ball on purpose?

[Tony Covey MGS]

Thanks, T! 2 and 3 are clear.

 

So does this mean Kevin Na wasn't penalized, because they could all tell his intent was to whiff the ball on purpose?

 

No intent...no swing. Bear in mind, in golf we call our own penalties (Carl Pettersson's leaf problem not withstanding), so in that particular case, what anyone other than Kevin Na thought about the swing/no swing is largely irrelevant. Kevin's story (not that he actually told any sort of story) is that he didn't intend to swing, and so that's the ruling.

[BK in TEXAS]

I remember reading that Na actually alerts the official before the round that he will do this. He says if he feels something wrong, it's impossible to stop his swing once he starts down so he just swings over it.

[skihippy]

I remember reading that Na actually alerts the official before the round that he will do this. He says if he feels something wrong, it's impossible to stop his swing once he starts down so he just swings over it.

 

 

So if that's all I got to say to my playing partners than man knock a couple of strokes off any hi handicappers game!!!! I never felt that Kevin Na should have been allowed to even contend when he couldn't hit the ball.

[Kanoito]

So there lies the difference. I guess for us hackers, whiffing the ball is just too obvious and your flight partners can easily tell.

 

Thanks for the ruling, T!

[Kor.A.Door]

No intent...no swing. Bear in mind, in golf we call our own penalties (Carl Pettersson's leaf problem not withstanding), so in that particular case, what anyone other than Kevin Na thought about the swing/no swing is largely irrelevant. Kevin's story (not that he actually told any sort of story) is that he didn't intend to swing, and so that's the ruling.

Who decides the intent?

[hckymeyer]

So I was playing a foursome last weekend and one of the guys in the flight addressed the ball, swung at it, hit a HUGE divot, but didn't touch the ball.

Does that count as a stroke?

 

The other 2 guys said it counts, even if you don't touch the ball, because you had the intention of hitting it.

 

But then Kevin Na came to my mind. He had the intention of hitting the ball, but missed the drive on purpose to start over and they didn't count it as a stroke.

 

What's the correct ruling for such cases?

 

Did the divot cause the ball to move? If so it is a penalty regardless of intent. Otherwise T has it covered.

 

Who decides the intent?

 

The player would decide intent. I would have a hard time letting someone get away with it if they took a divot after addressing the ball though. To me that would mean they were actually trying to hit down into the ball.

[wbealsd]

If there's a wager, it's a stroke If it's just fun and games, I wouldn't really care.

[Kor.A.Door]

Did the divot cause the ball to move? If so it is a penalty regardless of intent. Otherwise T has it covered.

 

 

 

The player would decide intent. I would have a hard time letting someone get away with it if they took a divot after addressing the ball though. To me that would mean they were actually trying to hit down into the ball.

This is where I have the issue with Kevin Na, if you watch him, right up until he whiffs the ball he looks to be intending to hit it.

He never looks as though he is letting up on the swing to give the appearance of no intention, he takes a full swing back and through, and decides on the way down not to hit the ball, the rule in this case is too vague, (as are about 300 of the ther ones as well).Just because someone stuffs the wedge into the ground does not prove intent, an easy way to not hit the ball with a wedge if you are in the downswing is to stuff it in the ground. Granted, I think most golfers who know this rule will abide by it, but you cannot as a playing partner prove what intent the other person had, hence, this being an honorable game, you must call it on yourself.