Situation: In a bunker, you take your normal bunker swing and hit the sand heavily behind the ball, sliding under it without touching it with the clubface, lifting the ball out on a bed of sand, but somehow strike it while it's in the air on your follow-thru.

Since the ball was only touched by the club once, is this still a penalty under Rule 14-4?

This situation was posed a number of posts ago, and the concensus was that you are assessed a penalty for striking the ball twice, although the ball was contacted only once, the initial movement of the ball on a cushion of sand was done with intent to move the ball with a stroke.
It is no different to double hitting a chip out of the rough.
And if anyone disagrees, saying that they only hit the ball once, hitting the sand doesn't count, then penalize them for testing the ground in a hazard since they touched the sand with the club before stroking the ball.

activesense wrote:

This situation was posed a number of posts ago, and the concensus was that you are assessed a penalty for striking the ball twice, although the ball was contacted only once, the initial movement of the ball on a cushion of sand was done with intent to move the ball with a stroke. It is no different to double hitting a chip out of the rough. And if anyone disagrees, saying that they only hit the ball once, hitting the sand doesn't count, then penalize them for testing the ground in a hazard since they touched the sand with the club before stroking the ball.

Excellent answer!!!


Just for official reference:

USGA Rules of Golf - 2010

"Rule 14-4/3 (rule 14-4 decision 3): Player hits behind ball and then strikes moving ball. -- In playing a chip shot a players club strikes the ground (in this case sand) several inches behind the ball and does not come into contact with the ball. However, the ground is struck with enough force to cause the ball to move. The player's club continues and strikes the ball while it is moving. The player in this case must count his stroke and add a penalty stroke under rule 14-4. Even though the club itself did not initially strike the ball, the ball was put into motion due to the stroke; therefore, rule 14-4 applies"

think of it........... would an explosion shot out of the sand where you do not touch the ball not count as a stroke? it`s a double-hit even if the club makes contact with the ball only once.