Did Tiger break the rules?

stickMAN · 02-26-2006 , 07:59 AM

heya Folks, thanks for stopping in.

I was just wondering if anyone could perhaps help me get an definite answer to this question i have. see... a couple weeks back i was watching the PGA and i saw an interesting technique used by Tiger, that i've never seen him do before. I tried it myself and it helps pretty decently to kep the lower body still while chipping from just off the green.

Here's the deal... Tiger's feet were pointing almost completely toward his target, along his target line. Which means, they were not 'addressing' the ball.

Now i say, there;'s absolutely nothing wrong with a technique like that. But when i told a golfing buddy of mine this, he was positive that Tiger broke some kind of rule, because he was not directly 'addressing' the ball.

What say ye peoples? Do you think Tiger's unusual technique on that shot was within the rules, or is there some kind of rule that states "your feet must be facing/addressing the ball" when you hit it?

Let me hear your thoughts please.
Thanks for your time.

stickMAN

**SWFlaGolfer** · 02-26-2006 , 10:07 AM

I was always under the impression that you addressed the ball with your club and that it didn't necessarily matter which way your feet were pointing. I always use this technique when I am chipping onto the green if I'm say 10-15 yards from it. It helps me punch the ball better without hitting it with the blade and shooting it way past the other side of the green. Then again I'm no expert on the rules, and have from time to time "bent" them a little myself. I shot a 104 on Friday so I can really use all the help I can get.

stickMAN · 02-27-2006 , 02:08 AM

hehe, Yes, addressing the ball "with your club". That's always what i've thought to be the rule there... not with your feet. But i couldn't convince my buddy of that.

Anyone else have anything thoughts to add on this? Anyone with an official rule book handy?

We've had 2 months of rain recently, less a couple days. We played our fav course last week with temp greens (ever rolled a golf ball on gravel?!), and i escaped with an 89. Let's just say we chipped to the hole most of the time. haha... i hate temp greens.

Thanks for the reply SWFlaGolfer.

Robot Devil · 02-27-2006 , 08:32 PM

Maybe I dreamed this, but I think the rule your friend is thinking of might only be on the putting green. It was intended to stop a player from using a croquet mallet style putter between your legs while facing the target.