I pulled my tee shot into the woods, and it came to rest directly behind a tree. I took unplayable relief and dropped the ball on a bed of pine needles and other tree detritus. As I was taking my swing, I could see the ball moved noticeably. It wasn't the club hitting the ground near they ball, but my weight shifting on the loose ground. I continued the swing and knocked the ball back into the fairway.
Per Rule #9.1b, if the ball is moved during the backswing (or downswing), and the player continues the stroke, then there is no penalty, and you play the ball where it came to rest. This is true whether you make solid contact with the ball or not. Presumably, if I had completely whiffed, the stroke would count, and I would play my next shot from where the ball ended up.
I'm terrible at backing off, but what if I had stopped my swing? This is covered by Rule #9.4. If the ball is deliberately moved, then it's probably a penalty. But per Rule #9.4a, if it's not deliberate, then you must replace the ball back on its original spot. There is no penalty here.
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