During my last round of golf, I double hit my golf ball. I was off the 9th green about 15 yards and setting up for a pitch shot. My ball was buried a bit in the grass, but not so deep that I had to change my shot. So I set everything up, started my swing, and double tap. I hit my ball twice and was 17 yards from the green when all was done. Needless to say, I hung my head low, walked over to my ball and hit on the green about 25 feet from the pin. I was very disappointed!

After the round, I replayed this missed shot over and over in my mind. I wonder where I went wrong that caused my double hit. I was very disappointed because generally mistakes like this are mental and this time it was no different. 

Standing over my ball with a sand wedge in my hand, I was going through my pre-shot routine and mental thoughts to execute this shot. Then something crazy happened. Halfway through my swing thoughts, I stopped thinking. Then I started to execute my shot. When I reached the apex of my back swing, I realized I was not ready. So I decided to help the ball to the green. Yup, I changed my swing by decelerating through the ball and as it popped out of the grass, my club head (moving faster than the ball) caught it about 3 feet from its original position.

After going through each step I realized one thing. I did not commit to the shot. I started everything properly, and then stopped. And after my mental lapse decided I needed to fix things. Well that was all folly. I realize that by not committing to the shot from the very beginning, I went out of sync and as a result I double hit my ball! So, moving forward, I need to commit to every shot before I even start my pre-shot routine. It is a must if I want to play well and score low.

If you are wondering the ruling:

Rule 14-4 is very clear. Striking the Ball More Than Once – If a player’s club strikes the ball more than once in the course of a stroke, the player must count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all.

So I walked off the 9th hole with a smooth triple. The first won of the season. I was very disappointed, but will use this as a learning opportunity to improve my game moving forward.

Have you ever double hit a golf ball?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!