What's the penalty for a double chip?

[Rounders]

This happened to me this weekend and my playing partner and I did not know what the penalty was. Anyone have any idea?

[ArrrrJay]

it just counts as two strokes instead of one.

[Zeph]

Source: USGA Rule 14-4
Striking the Ball More Than Once

If a player's club strikes the ball more than once in the course of a stroke, the player must count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all.

http://www.usga.org/bookrule.aspx?id=14280

[DavidFehertysBike]

I know the rule, but i dont understand why a penatly is applied. If you hit the ball with your club twice, it should just be counted as two strokes, IMO.

[TheGeekGolfer]

I know the rule, but i dont understand why a penatly is applied. If you hit the ball with your club twice, it should just be counted as two strokes, IMO.

The penalty is applied (as opposed to just recording 2 strokes), most likely, to avoid the situation where you 'triple-hit' the ball (or worse!). Alot of times (of course, it's never happened to me

) when you double-hit the ball, it's probably likely that you may have even hit the ball more than twice, but unable to tell. This would also be counted as 2 strokes (one + the penalty).

[Fat Slice]

I know the rule, but i dont understand why a penatly is applied. If you hit the ball with your club twice, it should just be counted as two strokes, IMO.

Let's say you are below the hole with a steep uphill putt. You miss, the ball goes past the hole and starts rolling back down. You run up and tap it again before it rolls too far past the hole and you hole it. That's 'two strokes' but it's not legal, hence the penalty.

Or to put it another way, your second contact on a double chip is on a moving ball = penalty.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Let's say you are below the hole with a steep uphill putt. You miss, the ball goes past the hole and starts rolling back down. You run up and tap it again before it rolls too far past the hole and you hole it. That's 'two strokes' but it's not legal, hence the penalty.

Well that makes more sense. I can understand applying a penatly on a moving ball. You just cleared up possibly years of confusion and disagreement on my part in one post.

[plugged]

Let's say you are below the hole with a steep uphill putt. You miss, the ball goes past the hole and starts rolling back down. You run up and tap it again before it rolls too far past the hole and you hole it. That's 'two strokes' but it's not legal, hence the penalty. Or to put it another way, your second contact on a double chip is on a moving ball = penalty.

Does that mean as long as the ball is still moving you can continue to hit it and only incur one penalty stroke in addition to your original stroke?

If so, on 20-yd putts, I'm going to kepp tapping the ball until it goes in. That will definitely ensure no more triple putts again.

[zeg]

Well, there's the usual exception to the penalty rules: If you gain an enormous advantage as a result of an infraction, you are disqualified. It would seem appropriate with that perpetual putt trick.

Also, part of the reason you need the penalty stroke for a double-chip is that you haven't met the definition of a stroke twice. A stroke is the swing with intent to hit the ball. You've only intended once, so there's no way to count the stroke twice.

[plugged]

Good points, zeg.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Well, there's the usual exception to the penalty rules: If you gain an enormous advantage as a result of an infraction, you are disqualified. It would seem appropriate with that perpetual putt trick.

In that case, why count the second hit at all? Just say a "double chip" or double hit is a single event and apply a one stroke penalty. The way it is written now, the rules count the second hit along with the penalty.

[billm408]

The penalty's for hitting a ball in motion- intentional or not.
Ask TC Chen... I'm sure he can quote the rule chapter and verse!

[RemyM]

Does that mean as long as the ball is still moving you can continue to hit it and only incur one penalty stroke in addition to your original stroke?

That falls under a different rule since your original stroke is over and what you are doing is intentional not accidental.

1-2. Exerting Influence on Ball A player or caddie must not take any action to influence the position or the movement of a ball except in accordance with the Rules. *Penalty for Breach of Rule 1-2: Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes. *In the case of a serious breach of Rule 1-2, the Committee may impose a penalty of disqualification. 1-2/5.5 Player Purposely Stops or Deflects Ball; Where Next Stroke Must Be Played From Q. A player's ball lies through the green. After playing a pitch shot up a slope, the player sees his ball start to roll back towards him. He places his club in front of the ball and stops it. The ball would have rolled only a few yards more and remained through the green. What is the ruling? A. Since the player purposely stopped the ball, he is in breach of Rule 1-2. As the breach was not serious, he would lose the hole in match play or incur a two-stroke penalty in stroke play. In stroke play, he must play the ball from the point where he stopped it with his club. If the player had purposely deflected the ball but not stopped it, in match play, he would lose the hole. In stroke play, if a serious breach has not occurred, he would incur a two-stroke penalty and must then play the ball from its new position. In stroke play, if a serious breach has occurred, the player is disqualified.

[Zeph]

In that case, why count the second hit at all? Just say a "double chip" or double hit is a single event and apply a one stroke penalty. The way it is written now, the rules count the second hit along with the penalty.

It doesn't count the second hit.

"the player must count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all." You count the stroke, which is one, you only swung one time. The ball hit the club twice or more, but you only took one stroke. You count the stroke and add a penalty for hitting the ball more than once during one stroke. You don't count the hit since you can hit it three times if you are very unlucky during one swing, this would count as one stroke and one penalty shot.

[Duffy]

I had a bowl of double chip just last night. Delicious!

[zeg]

I had a bowl of double chip just last night. Delicious!

Don't forget the 1 stroke penalty on your next round. Hope it was worth it!

[finoky]

The penalty's for hitting a ball in motion- intentional or not.

And to think it happened at the US Open to boot. While he was in the think of things and had a chance to win. If I am not mistaken Jack ended up winning.

[winders]

You T.C. Chen'ed it!!

S-