“That’s One” With Tiger Woods

“That’s One” With Tiger Woods

Bridgestone Golf has a funny new commercial in which Tiger Woods deals with the “that’s one” crowd when he accidentally knocks his ball off the tee.

I frankly like the “new” Tiger, who seems not to take himself as seriously as before. In the clip, he plays the straight man to his playing partners who are struggling with whether or not to comment on his miscue.

Happens to the best of us!#TeamBridgestone pic.twitter.com/wPIy4Nx7dd

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 31, 2023

The rule that Tiger cites, by the way, is real.

6.1 Starting Play of a Hole

a. When Hole Starts

A player has started a hole when he or she makes a stroke to begin the hole.

USGA Rules of Golf

Tiger didn’t make a stroke, so the ball is not in play, and it did not count. Bumping a ball once it is in play on a hole, however, is still a penalty — unless the ball is on the putting green and the golfer accidentally moves the ball. In that case, 13.1d may apply.

13.1d(1)/1 – No Penalty for Accidental Movement of Ball or Ball-Marker on Putting Green

Under Rule 13.1d(1) examples of actions that are accidental include when:

• The player takes normal actions near the ball before attempting a stroke, such as practice swings near the ball or addressing the ball by placing the putter on the ground near the ball.
• The player drops a coin or a club, hitting the ball and causing it to move.
• The partner or opponent of the player, or one of their caddies, unintentionally moves the ball or ball-marker, such as by kicking the ball, dropping something on the ball, or by pressing down the ball-marker.
• The player inadvertently steps on the ball-marker and it sticks to the bottom of his or her shoe.

In these examples of accidental movement, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced and there is no penalty to anyone. If the exact spot from where the ball or ball-marker was moved is not known, it must be estimated 

USGA Rules of Golf