Not replacing ball?

[OCdude12]

In stroke play, a player’s tee shot came to rest on the putting green. In making a practice swing, he accidentally strikes the ball and moves it six inches to the right of its original location. The player makes a stroke at the ball from its new position into the hole. What is the ruling?

[zeg]

Two stroke penalty for playing from a wrong place, ball is holed.

[DoGolf Jonathan]

I think the penalty is that since he struck the ball, it ounts as a stroke.

[Ignorant]

Originally Posted by DoGolf Jonathan

I think the penalty is that since he struck the ball, it ounts as a stroke.

No, it is not a stroke as the player did not intend to strike his ball:

Stroke
A “stroke’’ is the forward movement of the club made with the
intention of striking at and moving the ball ,....

The penalty arises from R18-2a:

18-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment
a. General
When a player’s ball is in play, if:
(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies lifts or moves it,
touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing it)
or causes it to move except as permitted by a Rule , or
(ii) equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move,
the player incurs a penalty of one stroke . If the ball is moved, it must be
replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has
begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke
and the stroke is made.

The second penalty arises as the player did not replace his ball as required in R18-2a:

*PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes .

*If a player who is required to replace a ball fails to do so, or if he
makes a stroke at a ball substituted under Rule 18 when such
substitution is not permitted, he incurs the general penalty for breach
of Rule 18, but there is no additional penalty under this Rule .

Thus the total number of penalty strokes is 2.

[DoGolf Jonathan]

Oh, very interesting.  I had no idea!  Thanks for clearing that up and providing me with the right rules!