Help solve this golf bet, is it a stroke penalty if you miss the ball completely

October 4, 2011

my uncle says it is, I asked him to show me a rule nobody showed me one and the guy on me team says its a stroke penalty

how can it be proven that it wasnt a practice swing

Adam, practice swings are usually taken away from the ball area. It may be in back of the ball several yards, beside the ball a yard or just to the area away from the lay of the ball. No penalty. However, if it was done while addressing the ball and missed it is a penalty.
Spartawo…

Yes, if you have lined up your clubface behind the ball, as if to hit it, and miss the ball completely then it still counts as a stroke. Practice swings should be taken away from the ball and can be easily depicted from a normal shot.

If you are trying to hit the ball and miss, it is not exactly a penalty but it counts as a stroke.
This is from the USGA rules:
“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.”

As for “proving” it, the player should be honest. If a player misses the ball, they should tell the other players and count it as a stroke. If they don’t, and other players question it, the ruling goes against the player who missed.
In other words, say a guy takes a few practice swings away from the ball, then takes his stance at the ball, swings and misses.
A) He says “Oops, I missed. I’m hitting 2 now.” (second shot)
B) He says it was just a practice swing, the other players say fine. He is hitting 1.
Ba) Other players say “no way.” He is hitting 2.
Now he’s

It’s not a penalty, but it counts as a stroke if you intended to hit the ball. As for proving it wasn’t a practice swing, no proof needs to be given. It is entirely up to the honor of the player to inform his playing partner or opponent if it was an attempt to hit the ball or not.

If you intend to hit the ball but miss it completely it is not a penalty, but it counts as a stroke. it’s all about intention.

Definition of Stroke:

“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.”

If you change your mind about hitting the ball on your downswing and deliberately miss the ball then it does not count as a stroke.

14/1.5 Intent to Strike Ball Ceases During Downswing; Club Not Stopped But Path of Clubhead Altered to Avoid Striking Ball

Q. A player begins his downswing with the intention of striking the ball but decides during the downswing not to strike the ball. The player is unable to stop the club before it reaches the ball, but he is able to swing intentionally over the top of the ball. Is the player deemed to have made a stroke?

A. No. The player is considered to have checked his downswing voluntarily by altering the path of his downswing and missing the ball even though the swing carried the clubhead beyond the ball.
If the player had not successfully checked his downswing (i.e., he had struck the ball), he is considered to have made a stroke.
Any doubt regarding the player’s intent must be resolved against the player.

Y to the E to the S.
golf is a game of character, honor and honesty.

is the one stroke penalty going to change your game if you don’t take it?

is it worth lying for?