Rules: Stopping the ball on purpose

[Ignorant]

Player hits his ball from half way of a slope towards the green that is on top of a hill. He fails to reach the green and his ball starts to roll down the hill towards tight bushes from where playing is impossible. So while his ball is still moving he claims it unplayable, says he will apply stroke & distance and stops the ball before it would disappear in the bush. Then he drops the ball on the spot where he made his previous stroke.

What is the ruling?

[JML22]

Friendly game? i'd give him his ball so he doenst lose it
I thought that'd be a DQ?
Its a DQ on the green atleast isnt it?

[JWL1957]

A player must not make a stroke while the ball is moving? Could this also be cosidered as hitting himself since he touched the ball before it came to rest? I would not think that he could declare the ball unplayable before it comes to rest.

Dunno. Now I got go out to the car and get my rule book. ( its pouring out)...........lol

[VOX]

although he should let the ball come to rest, you can always play your ball from the previous spot (under penalty of one stroke) so he would have had the same result.

[iacas]

although he should let the ball come to rest, you can always play your ball from the previous spot (under penalty of one stroke) so he would have had the same result.

See rule 1-2. His penalty is at least two strokes, and I would argue it's either 3 (and he replays) or he's DQed.

[JML22]

last time i golfed a mens night i did it on the green cause i missed a gimme putt, and it was honestly like 2 inches from the hole and it hadnt completley stopped yet
anyways i back handed it in while it was still moving and he said i shoulda been dqed

[IcemanYVR]

John Daly did that in the 1999 US Open at Pinehurst during the last round... I don't think he was DQ'd, IIRC, he made a 9... so lots of strokes, but not a DQ... of course, the rule could have changed since then.

[JML22]

DOesnt seem to be a specific rule really
Basically, 2 stroke penalty and you hit it again

[VOX]

agreed that's why he shouldn't stop it. My point is that in a "friendly game" he was taking the liberty of not waiting for it to come to rest before taking the option I mentioned. I did not mean to imply that this is allowed under the rules of golf.

[Fourputt]

DOesnt seem to be a specific rule really

As Erik said, the rule is quite clear:

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.

[zeg]

As Erik said, the rule is quite clear:

Agree, so I think it'd be a 2-stroke penalty for stopping it, then stroke and distance since he doesn't play it from where he stopped it (i.e., 3 strokes as Erik stated). If he plays it that way, it'd seem to me unlikely that it was a significant advantage, so no DQ.

That said, that's a rule that I'd have no qualms about overlooking in a friendly match, since as long as he plays stroke and distance, there is literally no impact on anything and it just serves to slow things down.