Every month MGA Senior Director of Rules and Competitions Gene Westmoreland will answer one question posed by the readers of the MGA e-Revision Newsletter (click here to sign up). Ed from Westchester County asked Gene the following Rules question:

Q: A golfer hits his shot over the green and into a hazard that does not have any water in it. As he attempts to hit his shot, he steps on some branches that are just over his ball. After doing this he has a clear swing to hit the ball. Is there a Rules violation here? Jim, Long Island

Gene responds:

If the player purposely stepped on the branch to improve the area of his intended swing he would incur a two stroke penalty. If the movement of the branch was “accidental” it would still be a penalty under these circumstances since it improved the area of his intended swing.