When a player is required to replay a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) under a Rule and does so (such as under Rule 11.2c(2) – Place from Where Deliberately Deflected or Stopped Ball Must Be Played When Stroke Made from Putting Green), the original strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) is disregarded from the player’s score as if it never took place. But if the player does not replaceReplace: To place a ball by setting it down by hand and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play.(...Continued) the ball and replay the strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued), and instead plays from where the ball came to rest, the strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) counts and they get the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play., but the player has not played from a wrong placeWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where the player is required or allowed to play their ball under the Rules.(...Continued).
For example, a player makes a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) from the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued) that accidentally hits a hole-liner that came out of the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) when the flagstickFlagstick: A movable pole provided by the Committee that is placed in the hole to show players where the hole is. The flagstick includes the flag and any other material or objects attached to the pole.(...Continued) was removed (Rule 11.1b(2)).
If the player replays the strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) by playing the original ball or another ball from the spot where that strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) was made as required by Rule 11.1b(2), the strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) made when the ball hit the hole-liner does not count.
But if the player does not replay the strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) and instead plays the ball from where it came to rest, the strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) that resulted in the ball hitting the hole liner counts and the player gets the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play..
If a ball comes to rest against a person or an outside influenceOutside Influence: Any of these people or things that can affect what happens to a player’s ball or equipment or to the course: after being accidentally deflected or stopped and the person or outside influenceOutside Influence: Any of these people or things that can affect what happens to a player’s ball or equipment or to the course: moves or is moved, Rule 9 applies, and the player must follow the Rule appropriately. However, there is no penalty under Rule 9 if the ball movesMoved: When a ball at rest has left its original spot and come to rest on any other spot, and this can be seen by the naked eye (whether or not anyone actually sees it do so).(...Continued) after coming to rest against a person or equipmentEquipment: Anything used, worn, held or carried by the player or the player’s caddie.(...Continued) (see Exception 5 to Rule 9.4b and Exception 3 to Rule 9.5b).
Examples of where there is no penalty include when:
The player’s ball comes to rest against the opponent’sOpponent: The person a player competes against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. foot after being accidentally stopped by them and the ball movesMoved: When a ball at rest has left its original spot and come to rest on any other spot, and this can be seen by the naked eye (whether or not anyone actually sees it do so).(...Continued) as a result of the opponentOpponent: The person a player competes against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. moving. The player must replaceReplace: To place a ball by setting it down by hand and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play.(...Continued) the ball as required by Rule 9.5 but neither the player nor the opponentOpponent: The person a player competes against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. gets a penalty.
The player’s ball in motion is accidentally stopped by their club after rolling back down a hill and the ball movesMoved: When a ball at rest has left its original spot and come to rest on any other spot, and this can be seen by the naked eye (whether or not anyone actually sees it do so).(...Continued) as a result of removing the club. The player must replace the ball as required by Rule 9.4 but gets no penalty.
For other situations when a ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside influenceOutside Influence: Any of these people or things that can affect what happens to a player’s ball or equipment or to the course: (such as an animalAnimal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans).), and that outside influenceOutside Influence: Any of these people or things that can affect what happens to a player’s ball or equipment or to the course: moves and causes the ball to moveMoved: When a ball at rest has left its original spot and come to rest on any other spot, and this can be seen by the naked eye (whether or not anyone actually sees it do so).(...Continued), see Rule 9.6 for what to do.
If a ball played from anywhere except the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued) is in motion and is stopped or deflected by an animalAnimal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans)., there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies (see Rule 11.1).
But if an animalAnimal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans). picks up a ball in motion, the ball has come to rest on the animalAnimal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans). and free relief must be taken using the point where the animalAnimal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans). picked up the ball as the reference point (see Rule 11.1b(1)).
For example, a ball played from the fairway is picked up by a dog while it is still in motion. The ball has come to rest on the animalAnimal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans). at the point where the dog picked up the ball.
If the ball was picked up on the fairway, a ball must be droppedDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play.(...Continued) within one club-lengthClub-Length: The length of the longest club of the 14 (or fewer) clubs the player has during the round (as allowed by Rule 4.1b(1)), other than a putter.(...Continued) of and no nearer the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) than the point where the ball was picked up by the dog in the general areaGeneral Area: The area of the course that covers all of the courseexcept for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.(...Continued).
If the ball was picked up on the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued), a ball must be placed on the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued) on the estimated spot where the ball was picked up. (New)
Rule 11.2 applies to a situation where a player did not initially position the equipmentEquipment: Anything used, worn, held or carried by the player or the player’s caddie.(...Continued), other object or person for the purpose of deflecting the ball in motion, but they then realize it may deflect or stop the ball after positioning it and deliberately leave it there.
An example where the player gets a penalty is when:
After raking a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.(...Continued), a player places the rake between the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued) and the bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.(...Continued), without any thought of it influencing a ball. The player, who now has a downhill putt towards the bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.(...Continued), realizes the rake might stop their ball and plays without first moving the rake. The player putts and the ball is stopped by that rake.
An example where the player does not get a penalty is when:
A rake has been left by a preceding group between the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued) and a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.(...Continued). A player, who has a downhill putt towards the bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.(...Continued), sees the rake and leaves it there because it might stop the ball if their putt is too strong. The player putts and the ball is stopped by that rake.
Rule 11.3 applies when a player or caddieCaddie: Someone who helps a player during a round, including in these ways:(...Continued) takes a deliberate action for the purpose of affecting a ball in motion, and the player is in breach of this Rule even if the deliberate action does not affect where the ball comes to rest.
Examples where the player gets the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. under Rule 11.3, and in stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued) must play the ball where it comes to rest, include when:
The player’s ball lies in the general areaGeneral Area: The area of the course that covers all of the courseexcept for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.(...Continued) at the bottom of a slope. The player makes a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) and, while the ball is rolling back down the slope, the player presses down a raised piece of turf for the purpose of preventing the ball from coming to rest in a bad lie.
The player believes a rake lying on the ground may stop or deflect another player’s ball in motion, so the player lifts the rake.
Examples where there is no penalty, and in stroke play the ball must be played where it comes to rest, include when:
A player’s ball lies in the general areaGeneral Area: The area of the course that covers all of the courseexcept for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.(...Continued) at the bottom of a slope. The player makes a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) and the ball begins to roll back down the slope. Unaware that the ball was returning to the area from where it had been played, the player presses down a raised piece of turf without any intent to affect where the ball might come to rest. There is no penalty even if the ball comes to rest in the pressed down area.
After making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) and while the ball is in motion, a player lifts a nearby rake to give it to another player for an upcoming bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.(...Continued) shot. The player’s ball rolls through the area that the rake was lifted from.