striking

I was playing the other day when my playing partner addressed the ball and touched the ball by mistake with his club.... the ball did NOT actually move forward..  IS THIS CLASSED AS A FOUL

Yes. One stroke penalty (effectively deemed a shot)

Unless it was with the putter.  You are allowed to touch the ball with the putter as long as it doesn't move. 

No penalty.

"When a player's ball is in play, if:
(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies lifts or moves it, touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing it)..."

Edit to clear up some other misconceptions: Decision 18/2 says that a golf ball that "oscillates" has NOT moved.

If you touch the ball with your club, and the ball wobbles but doesn't leave the spot where it lies, it has not moved.

To add more confusion: If you touch the ball with your club while addressing it, and the ball does actually move, you get a one stroke penalty and you must replace the ball

My head is just spinning now John

I'm hoping to start coming to the roll ups at Sherfield more regularly now I have my personal life more sorted - you still go on Mondays?

Happened to me twice on a four game break in France, this is what can happen playing golf with a massive hangover  lent forward to address the ball once with a 3 iron and once with a wedge and stumbled into the ball. The first one I called the penalty on myself and took a 1 shot penalty I was then told by a teaching pro when I told him on the next tee what I had done and he asked the question did I replace the ball? the answer was no so I incurred another penalty, On the second foul which was during another round ( another hangover) I knew to replace the ball so only one penalty. In the last round I had teed up well on the right side of a tee box to play my right to left and on my backswing hit an overhanging branch , this startled me so I stopped my swing. When I looked round I could see falling leaves and some berries ,cheers another 2 shot penalty. No sympathy from my playing partners they fell about laughing . I have now accumulated 5 penalties on my eclectic score, but wasn’t a factor I won our mini tour by 1 point. Moral of the story Don’t Drink and Drive  or chip or even putt