Ball moves in backswing, penalty?

[MacDutch]

Maybe easy for the rules experts here, but I didn’t know the answer.

situation: ball in the rough, I address nothing happens, then I start my backswing and the ball moves more then an inch, less then 2 during backswing. I have a short stop at the end of my backswing and decide in a split second to continue and hit the ball well. Bit of a Matsuyama swing said my playing partner.

So what should be the verdict of a rules official?

[Patch]

I am just guessing here, but no penalty since the ball started moving after the back swing started.  I think 14.5 applies here. Like I said, just a guess on my part. 

Edited May 26, 2018 by Patch

[saevel25]

Rule 14-5 does not penalize you for having the ball move in your backswing and proceeding to hit the ball. 

I'd say you should take a penalty under 18-2. There isn't much that causes a ball to move in the rough than your club causing it to move. With out other evidence to the contrary, you caused the ball to move. 

 

[Martyn W]

The new 18-2/0.5 Decision gives the answer. It is quite lengthy with examples but the bottom line is ; "If the weight of evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the player caused the ball to move, even though that conclusion is not free from doubt, the player incurs a one-stroke penalty under Rule 18-2 "

[bkuehn1952]

We all agree that if the player does not ground the club or touch anything during the backswing, the presumptive conclusion, barring other factors, is that the ball moved as a result of something other than influence by the player?

[Patch]

17 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

We all agree that if the player does not ground the club or touch anything during the backswing, the presumptive conclusion, barring other factors, is that the ball moved as a result of something other than influence by the player?

Well, I do, but the way that rule 18.2 reads, a player can be penalized based on "almost"  an asumption. ,"More likely than not" and " is not free from doubt" kind of puts the screws to rule 14.5.......lol

In the OP's post he does not say he grounded the club, only that he addressed the ball. I know alot of golfers, myself included who address the ball without grounding the club, especially when in the rough. 

[iacas]

6 minutes ago, Patch said:

In the OP's post he does not say he grounded the club, only that he addressed the ball. I know alot of golfers, myself included who address the ball without grounding the club, especially when in the rough. 

[Patch]

12 hours ago, iacas said:

Didn't know that. So, with that, I guess I don't address the ball, since rarely ever ground the club.

[MacDutch]

I addressed the ball, there was nothing else that could have made the ball move then taking the club backwards in my backswing. So thats an extra stroke for me. Thanks for explaining.

[Martyn W]

!8-2 was a lot clearer 8 years ago when there was an 18-2b

:"Ball Moving After Address 
If a player’s ball in play moves after he has addressed it (other than as a result of a stroke), the player is deemed to have moved the ball and incurs a penalty stroke. The ball 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.

:.