Self imposed penalty

[acrazygolfer]

rules

I found this article while browing the Golf Channel:

During play of the 10th hole in the fourth round of the 2005 Ford
Championship at Doral, Vijay Singh played his third stroke from a
fairway bunker, resulting in his ball coming to rest in a greenside
bunker. Subsequent to the ball coming to rest in the greenside bunker,
Mr. Singh took two practice swings in the fairway bunker contacting the
ground with both practice swings.

Rule 13-4a prohibits a player, when his ball lies in a hazard, from
testing the condition of the hazard or a similar hazard. By striking
the sand in the fairway bunker with these practice swings when his ball
lay in the greenside bunker, Mr. Singh was in breach of Rule 13-4a. The
penalty, in stroke play, for this breach is two strokes regardless of
the number of practice swings taken by the player (see Decision 1-4/12).

Neither Mr. Singh nor the Committee in charge of the Ford Championship at Doral were aware that Mr. Singh had been in breach of Rule 13-4a prior to the close of the competition; therefore, as provided in Rule 34-1b, the penalty was not applied.

The Rules of Golf Committees of the USGA and R&A have discussed the
issue of testing the condition of hazards and will continue to do so.

Thank you for your interest in the Rules of Golf. The Rules and
Decision mentioned above along with Frequently Asked Questions on the Rules of Golf can be found on the USGA's website at
http://www.usga.org/rules.

Read it closer, VJ took the 2 swings after he struck the ball and it landed in the greenside bunker. He took the 2 swings while standing in the fairway bunker. Should he had called his own penalty under Rule 13-4a - testing condition of a similar hazard? David Toms disqualified himself from this year Open when he wasn't sure if the ball was moving slightly when he tapped in, and figured he ought to take himself out of the tournament. Hmmm. Very interesting!

[Debit]

Obviously, neither the player, his playing partner, nor any official that may have been present was aware of the prohibition extending to another hazard. However, in the case of Toms -- most everyone that plays regularly is aware that there may be a problem if a ball moves. Oddly enough, both my opponent and I called penalties for moving a ball on the same hole -- mine moved as I address it in deep grass, hers moved when she addressed it on the green -- replace and 1 stroke.

[MrBig]

The peculiar thing in the Toms case was that he never actually addressed the ball (he never grounded his club behind the ball). It looked as though it was quivering on the lip because of wind, not actually moving. I think a similar occurrence to Vijay happened to Sergio though I'm pretty sure he incurred a two shot penalty. Interesting!

 

G