rules help

Hi In our stableford competition today i tapped my ball no more than a cm towards the hole whilst lining up my putt. i made the putt for par and nobody in my group called me on it. As far as im aware a penalty shouldnt occur as it wasnt a deliberate stroke. Is that right? Its been on my mind since i handed my card in.

On the green is the only place your club could touch your ball prior to playing a shot without penalty. However, if your ball moves (changes position) as opposed to oscillates (rocks without moving position or moves slightly and returns to the original position) then it is classed as a stroke. Unfortunately it doesn't matter whether the stroke was deliberate or not, it still counts as a stroke. If you failed to call it, signed for your card and handed it in it's actually a DQ too for signing for an incorrect score.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

Thanks for the replies. I actually came second today and i will return the tenner i won in the week. Am i correct in saying if the ball wasnt on the green, and tapped it whilst addresing it there would not had been a penalty?

If your club touches the ball whilst it is in play and not on the green it is classed as a shot, whether it moves or not. If your club touches the ball whilst it is on the green AND it doesn't move (see move vs oscillate in earlier post) then there is no penalty. If it moves then it's classed as a stroke

Thanks again chris. I really should take home one of the R and A rules books in the changing room.

If you accidentally move the ball while lining up or taking a practice swing then the ball must be replaced and one shot penalty. If the ball isn't replaced it's two shot penalty. This rule does not apply on the tee though as there is no penalty there!

"This rule does not apply on the tee though as there is no penalty there!"

That's because the ball is not in play until you make a swing at it. HOWEVER, if you make a swing at it and have an airshot it's then in play. If you then knock it off the tee when lining up for another shot it's a penalty because it's in play

Daniel,

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. You picked up a TWO stroke penalty, then signed for an incorrect score so DQ'd.

The answers comes from Rules 18-2, attached:-

BALL AT REST MOVED

18-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment

a. General Except as permitted by the Rules, when a player�s ball is in play, if

(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies:

� lifts or moves the ball,

� touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing the ball), or

� causes the ball to move, or

(ii) the equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.

If the ball is moved, it must be replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.

Under the Rules there is no penalty if a player accidentally causes his ball to move in the following circumstances:

�In searching for a ball covered by sand, in the replacement of loose impediments moved in a hazard while finding or identifying a ball, in probing for a ball lying in water in a water hazard or in searching for a ball in an obstruction or an abnormal ground condition � Rule 12-1

�In repairing a hole plug or ball mark � Rule 16-1c

�In measuring � Rule 18-6

�In lifting a ball under a Rule � Rule 20-1

�In placing or replacing a ball under a Rule � Rule 20-3a

�In removing a loose impediment on the putting green � Rule 23-1

�In removing movable obstructions � Rule 24-1