It’s a feeling amateur golfers know all too well.
Zach Johnson was on the tee at the 13th hole at Augusta National during the second round of the Masters on Friday. He placed the ball on his tee, took a step back to take a practice swing … and accidentally smoked the ball into the tee marker.
The ball plunked off it, went about eight feet, and came to a sad rest. Johnson took a step toward the ball, then looked at his caddy like, “Oh. Oh no. What … what did I do? I think I did something bad. I really think I did something bad.”
The best part was his commentary after it. WARNING: Foul language.
Golf fans adored it. It’s like we were on the tee at Augusta.
The best part of all of this? The shot didn’t actually count, because Johnson wasn’t technically addressing the ball. As long as you’re on the tee, and not addressing the ball, accidentally hitting the ball is OK, and you get a re-tee.
The rule book states: “A player has ‘addressed the ball’ when he has grounded his club immediately in front of or immediately behind the ball, whether or not he has taken his stance.”
As you can see, Johnson does ground the club, but it’s to the side of the ball, not directly in front of or behind it. As such, that swing doesn’t count as an attempt at the ball, and he got to re-tee it.
He then made birdie, because of course he did.
