Does a whiff (swing and miss) count as a stroke?
By The Fairway Labs TeamReviewed
Off the tee & lost balls
Penalty: None
Does a whiff (swing and miss) count as a stroke?
PenaltyNone· under Rule 14.1a
What to do
- 1Swing with intent to hit the ball and miss entirely — that’s a stroke.
- 2Add it to your score like any other stroke.
- 3Play your next shot from the same spot, no penalty added.
- 4If you stop the swing deliberately before impact, it doesn’t count as a stroke.
Based on the modern Rules of Golf (Rule 14.1a), as published by the USGA and The R&A and effective from the 2019 revision. Local rules can modify some situations — check the scorecard or with the committee when in doubt.
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