A Stroke Is a Stroke: Unless It’s Keita Nakajima’s Whiff
Golf’s identity is its rules. On 15, Keita Nakajima took a full swing, made no contact, and officials ruled no penalty after discussion. Fans saw a whiff; the books define a stroke. We revisit the moment, the definition, and why consistency matters—from weekend foursomes to tour stops.
You are trying to hit the ball then it counts as a stroke. Katera Nakajima hole 15. The swing, the follow through, and the rarest shot in golf. Nothing but air. Over Nakajima. What happened there? Well, that’s a fresh air. The crowd coughed. Kater whiffed. And officials, they coughed, too, ruling no penalty. But let’s be honest, intent plus swing equals stroke. The USGAA says it. The RNA writes it. You don’t need a rule book to see it. The only thing missed wasn’t the ball, it was the ruling. If you were trying to hit the ball, then it counts as a stroke. Making contact is irrelevant. Somebody coughed. Well, you can’t you can’t pull out of it for a cough. Sure. And this is true even if something causes you to miss the ball. Oh no. Oh.
