Re: Rules often broken by amateurs
Originally Posted by
Warik 
If the ball moves from its original location during a practice putt, it's a stroke.
I see people taking their practice SWINGS < 1 inch next to the ball. I'd be terrified to do that... you go a bit too inside-out or outside-in on the practice shot and you'll have a very ugly result.
You shouldn't take practice strokes so close to the ball.
To clarify:
1) If the ball is NOT in play yet (i.e., your ball is on the teeing area, doesn't have to actually be on a tee, just not put in play for that hole yet), and you accidentally move it, there is no penalty. You simply reset the ball and proceed.
2) If the ball is already in play, whether you're about to hit an approach shot in the fairway or about to putt on the green, and you accidentally move it, it is a penalty stroke.
Note: it's not that it "counts as a stroke," because that would imply you just consider the accidental shot like any other shot, and play from the new location. The tap does not count, but you take a
penalty stroke and move the ball back to its original location. That is, if my ball is in location A, I'm playing my third shot, and I accidentally tap the ball and move it to location B:
WRONG WAY : Play my fourth shot from location B. (If anyone remembers, DLIII chose this incorrect option in the 1997 Players after nicking the ball with his practice stroke)
RIGHT WAY: Play my fourth shot from location A.
EDIT: do I have this right?
This article seems to imply that the accidental stroke counts, you reset the ball, and ALSO assess one stroke.