I enjoy going out and hitting the ball with some friends but have never played in any tournaments. My friends and I sort of make up our own rules along the way. So here is my question: If you swing at the ball and miss, making no contact with the ball, does this count as a stroke or does it only count if you hit the ball?

Hey Jan. So the rule is, if you addressed the ball, and took a swing intending to strike the ball, whether you hit it or missed, it counts as a stroke. So technically, yes, if you whiff one, that counts. But most of the groups I've played in, when that happens, everyone's like "I didn't see that...". Except when money is on the line....

As Scott says, among friends you may agree to consider it a "practice stroke"...
If you aren't playing by the "official" rules, as long as everyone in your group is on the same page, have fun.

when we play as a friendly get together outing, we take several liberties with the rules! But if you play with people you don't know or in special events it's best to get the ground rules before you start.

Thanks everyone. I really didn't think it mattered among friends and the only time it comes up is if we are giving one another a hard time. I just thought that if I ever played with anyone else I should know how this rule worked, if it was a rule.

Quick follow up question:

Suppose you set up a few inches behind the ball and take a practice swing. But your practice swing is waaay outside (heck, you're playing bad that day!) and you clip the ball.

Is that a stroke? You didn't address the ball (you were inches behind it), and you didn't intend to hit the ball.

Admiral, that's still bad. There is a rule for a practice swing hitting the ball and I think it's a 1 stroke penalty and I think you have to replace the ball where it was. Davis Love did this a few years back on the putting surface, his putting practice stroke hit the ball and moved it. PENALTY!

Now if you don't put the ball back, I think that's another 2 stroke penalty for playing the ball from the wrong location...

Wow... between this rule and 8-1, I'm going to have a great time next time I play..!

I did something like that last year in a tournament...putter hit ball by mistake and it moved. I had to call a one stroke penalty on myself and put the ball back in to it's original position. I did sink the putt for par, but it was really a birdie...

Hi srushing,

I think, that's another 1 stroke penalty - Rule 18.

At the end ist says:
*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.

Playing a ball, which hasn't been replaced, would be playing from wrong place - which would mean another 2 penalty strokes, so that we would have 1 PS für moving the ball and 2 PS for playing from wrong place.
The remark at the end of Rule 18 clarifies, that the player doesn't incur more than 2 penalty strokes.

In matchplay however, the player who causes the ball to move, and doesn't replace it, loses the hole.

McFade

McFade, you are correct about a max of two stroke penalty per hole. So it must be an additional one stroke for playing the ball at the wrong spot. It's just capped at 2 strokes.

Nice catch.