"I hit the ball twice by mistake. Do I have to count two strokes and add two penalty strokes?"

I was asked this question this past summer by a competitor in a qualifying round for the U.S. Amateur Championship. The player was very relieved when I told him that he should count the stroke made and add one penalty stroke. He was under the mistaken impression that each "hit" counted as a stroke and that it would cost him two penalty strokes as well.

Most all golfers (including me) have done this at one time or another. In most cases, it happens with pitch shots or chip shots around the green.

Striking the ball more than once is covered by Rule 14-4. The Rule reads; "If a player's club strikes the ball more than once in the course of a stroke, the player shall count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all." [Editors note: ref. Rules of Golf from the USGA]

In the unlikely event that a player should strike the ball a total of three (or more) times in the course of a stroke, he must still count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all (not three, four, etc.).

The most famous example occurred during the final round of the 1985 United States Open. Taiwan's T.C. Chen was in contention for the title. During a stroke from heavy rough around a green, Chen struck the ball twice during a stroke. The ball came to rest in the same heavy rough. Chen of course counted the stroke that he made and added a penalty stroke. He was then left with another tough shot from the rough. Chen never recovered from his mistake, and Andy North won the Open.

Remember, learn the Rules and play by the Rules. It truly makes the game more enjoyable.

[Editors note: You can click here to review Decisions on the Rules of Golf and other related titles from Amazon.com.]

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About the Author  The United States Golf Association decides on the Rules and Decisions changes for the United States and Mexico. Book Description  The biannual publication of the Rules of Golf Decisions book incorporating the every four year Rules change effective January 1, 2004. This publication makes any publication published before this obsolete. Customer Review:  Definitive -- and entertaining, at least for a rule book! Decisions on the Rules of Golf contains actual questions from actual players, and actual answers from the USGA -- over 600 pages of questions and answers! All of which are divided according to various rules and their subparts. A very helpful index makes it easy to find quickly any answer to any question you might have.