SOMETIMES "NO" MEANS "YES"? By Dola Mae Jones CWGA Rules Committee Member MTT Contributing Writer .The player has gone into the bunker without a club and has taken her stance to decide how she wants to play the shot. While she is returning to her bag to select her club, the ball moves. Has she caused the ball to move? "No," you say, "she has not touched the ball, nor has she done anything physically to cause the ball to move." The answer should be "Yes" according to Rule 18-2b which says "If a player's ball in play moves after she has addressed it (other than as a result of a stroke), the player shall be deemed to have moved the ball and shall incur a penalty stroke. The player shall replace the ball…" The definition of addressing the ball is, " A player has addressed the ball when she has taken her stance and has also grounded her club, except that in a hazard a player has addressed the ball when she has taken her stance." In the above scenario, the player has addressed the ball in a hazard even though she has no club in her hands. Remember, anytime you address the ball and then back off because of either a distraction, to rethink the shot, or for whatever reason, and the ball subsequently moves, you are deemed to have caused it to move and you incur a one-stroke penalty. (Definition 18-2b/2 & 18-2b/7) On the putting green, however, a player does have an option that could minimize the risk of incurring a penalty should the ball move. If you have taken your stance and grounded your club, either in front of the ball or behind it, and then step away for some reason, you are deemed to have addressed the ball. Then, if you decide to step away, you may mark the ball and lift it. This takes the ball out of play and invalidates your previous commitment of having addressed the ball on the green. So if it is a windy day, or your ball is lying on a sloping green, and you want to step away, you might want to mark your ball and lift it, and start the shot over. If the ball then moves before you have readdressed it, you play it as it lies. (Definition18-2b/8) As you can see, it pays to know when and where a "No" might really mean a "Yes" regarding a possible penalty in this game called Golf