Who or what moved your ball decides everything. If the wind or water moved it, you play it from its new spot and pay nothing. If you or your caddie moved it, you put it back and, unless an exception applies, add one penalty stroke. If your opponent moved it in match play, or an outside influence did, you put it back, and you do not pay.
The ChartWho moved your ball, and what it costs
| Who or what moved it | Put it back? | Penalty | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind, water or another natural force | No. Play it from its new spot. | None | 9.3 |
| You cannot tell who or what moved it | No. It is treated as moved by natural forces, so play it from its new spot. | None | 9.2b, 9.3 |
| Natural forces, after you lifted and replaced the ball on the putting green | Yes, on its original spot. | None | 9.3, Exception 1 |
| Natural forces, after you dropped, placed or replaced the ball, and it comes to rest in another area of the course or out of bounds | Yes, on its original spot. | None | 9.3, Exception 2 |
| You or your caddie | Yes, on its original spot. If you do not know the spot, estimate it. | One penalty stroke, unless one of the exceptions below applies. | 9.4 |
| You, by accident, while trying to find or identify the ball | Yes, on its original spot. | None. But one penalty stroke if you moved it before you started to search. | 7.4 |
| You, by accident, on the putting green | Yes, on its original spot. | None | 9.4b, Exception 3 |
| You, while removing a loose impediment | Yes, on its original spot. | One penalty stroke. None if the ball was on the putting green or in the teeing area. | 15.1b |
| It starts moving after you begin your backswing, and you go on to make the stroke | No. Play it from where it comes to rest after the stroke. | If you caused it to move, check Rule 9.4b. | 9.1b |
| Your opponent or their caddie (match play) | Yes, on its original spot, unless they were conceding a stroke, a hole or the match, or lifted it at your request. | Your opponent gets one penalty stroke, unless an exception applies. | 9.5 |
| An outside influence, including another player in stroke play or another ball | Yes, on its original spot. | None | 9.6 |
Source: The R&A, Rules of Golf, Rules 7.4, 9 and 15.1b.
Playing from a wrong place when you were meant to replace the ball carries the general penalty under Rule 14.7a. The golf penalty chart shows what that costs in match play and in stroke play.
Known or virtually certainWhen a ball counts as moved
Two questions come first. Did the ball move at all, and who or what moved it? The Rules use the same test for both: the answer has to be known or virtually certain.
Did it move? A ball at rest is treated as having moved only if it is known or virtually certain that it did. If it might have moved but you cannot say for sure, it is treated as not having moved and you play it as it lies (Rule 9.2a).
What moved it? The Rules recognize four possible causes: natural forces such as wind or water, you (including your caddie), your opponent in match play (including their caddie), and an outside influence. You, your opponent or an outside influence is treated as the cause only if it is known or virtually certain to be the cause. If it is not known or virtually certain that one of them did it, the ball is treated as moved by natural forces (Rule 9.2b).
You are asked to weigh all reasonably available information, meaning what you know or can find out with reasonable effort and without unreasonably delaying play.
You moved itWhen you move the ball and still pay nothing
Rule 9.4b sets the penalty for lifting, deliberately touching or causing your ball to move at one stroke. It lists five exceptions where there is no penalty:
- You lift the ball or cause it to move under a Rule that allows it, or that requires a moved ball to be replaced, or that has you drop or place a ball again or play from a different place.
- You accidentally cause the ball to move while trying to find or identify it (Rule 7.4).
- You accidentally cause the ball to move on the putting green, no matter how that happens.
- You accidentally cause the ball to move anywhere except the putting green while taking reasonable actions to mark, lift or replace it when allowed, remove a movable obstruction, restore worsened conditions when allowed, take relief under a Rule (including working out whether relief is available or where to take it), or measure under a Rule.
- After your ball comes to rest against you or your equipment as a result of a stroke or of dropping the ball, you cause it to move when you move or remove your equipment.
SearchingA ball moved while you look for it (Rule 7.4)
There is no penalty if your ball is accidentally moved by you, your opponent or anyone else while you are trying to find or identify it. The ball is replaced on its original spot, estimated if you do not know it.
"Accidentally" is wider than it sounds. It includes the ball being moved by anyone taking reasonable actions to find it that were likely to reveal where it is by moving it, such as sweeping your feet through long grass or shaking a tree.
The one catch is timing. If you cause the ball to move before you start to search for it, you get one penalty stroke under Rule 9.4b. If the ball was covered by sand, the original lie must be re-created when you replace it, and you may leave a small part of the ball visible. For a ball you cannot find at all, see lost ball and provisional ball rules.
Loose impedimentsA ball moved while you remove a loose impediment (Rule 15.1b)
If picking up a leaf or a twig makes your ball move, you replace the ball on its original spot. If the ball had been at rest anywhere except on the putting green or in the teeing area, you also get one penalty stroke under Rule 9.4b.
That penalty does not apply when Rule 7.4 covers it (a ball moved while you searched) or when another exception to Rule 9.4b applies.
The greenOn the putting green
The green is kinder. If you accidentally cause your ball to move on the putting green, there is no penalty, no matter how it happens (Rule 9.4b, Exception 3), and you replace it. Moving a ball while removing a loose impediment is also free there (Rule 15.1b).
One more point catches players out. Once you have lifted and replaced the ball on the green, it must be replaced again if it moves, no matter what caused it to move, wind included (Rule 9.3, Exception 1). The flagstick, ball marks and the overhanging ball are covered in our putting green rules guide.
Mid-swingA ball that moves after your backswing starts (Rule 9.1b)
If your ball at rest begins moving after you have started the stroke or the backswing, and you go on to make the stroke, the ball must not be replaced, no matter what caused it to move. You play it from where it comes to rest after the stroke. If you caused it to move, Rule 9.4b tells you whether there is a penalty.
Outside influenceMoved by someone or something else, and the ball is lost
When it is known or virtually certain that an outside influence lifted or moved your ball, you replace it with no penalty, whether or not the ball has been found (Rule 9.6). The catch comes when it is not known or virtually certain that an outside influence took it and the ball is lost: then you must take stroke-and-distance relief under Rule 18.2. See the lost ball guide for what that costs.
FAQQuick answers
My ball moved at address. Is that a penalty?
It depends on what moved it. If it is known or virtually certain that you caused it, you replace the ball and take one penalty stroke (Rule 9.4). If the wind moved it, or it is not known or virtually certain that you did, there is no penalty and you play it from its new spot (Rules 9.2b and 9.3).
Do I replace a ball the wind moved?
No. You play it from its new spot, with no penalty (Rule 9.3). The exception is the putting green, where a ball you have already lifted and replaced must be replaced again if it moves.
I moved my ball while looking for it. Do I get a penalty?
No, if it was an accident while you were trying to find or identify it. Replace it on its original spot (Rule 7.4). If you moved it before you started to search, it costs one penalty stroke.
What if I am not sure the ball moved?
Then it is treated as not having moved, and you play it as it lies. The ball counts as moved only if it is known or virtually certain that it did (Rule 9.2a).
What if I forget to replace the ball and play from the wrong spot?
If you were required to replace a moved ball under Rule 9.4 but did not and played from a wrong place, you get only the general penalty under Rule 14.7a. Our golf penalty chart shows what that is in match play and in stroke play.
Another player's ball hit mine and moved it. What now?
In stroke play, another player and another ball both count as an outside influence. If it is known or virtually certain that is what happened, you replace your ball on its original spot with no penalty (Rule 9.6).