Written by: Darin Green, Senior Director of Rules & Competitions
If you play golf, or even mini-golf, you have experienced a putt, or chip, that looks perfect as the ball is tracking towards to hole to only break unexpectedly at the last inch or come to a screeching halt and stop teetering over the edge of the hole. Amazement and frustration usually follows as we slowly walk towards the hole, then stare at the ball to see if there is a chance it might fall. Usually the ball does not fall into the hole, but sometimes it does. Let us look at how the Rules of Golf handles this situation.
Common sense tells us that the Rules of Golf are not going to let a player wait for long periods of time as they hope for their ball to fall into the hole, so there must be a time limit. What happens if the ball falls in the hole after the time limit expires? Additionally, what if someone else moves your ball before that time limit is up?
Waiting Time to See if Ball Overhanging Hole Will Fall into Hole
Rule 13.3a covers the time limit and what happens if the ball falls into the hole before and after the time limit.
If any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed a reasonable amount of time to reach the hole. A reasonable amount of time could be a handful of seconds for short putt, or several minutes if it was the player’s tee shot on a par 3 or approach shot from a far distance. Once the “reasonable amount of time to reach the hole” expires, the ball now has ten more seconds to fall into the hole. After those ten seconds, the ball is considered at rest.
If the ball falls into the hole before the ten seconds expire, the ball is considered holed with the previous stroke. If the ball falls into the hole after the ten seconds expire, the ball is considered holed with the previous stroke, but the player also must add a one-stroke penalty (same as just tapping the ball in after the ten seconds).
Ball Overhanging is Lifted or Moved Before the Waiting Time Has Ended (Rule 13.3b)
When the ball is overhanging the hole and is lifted or moved by anyone, the ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole and the ball is considered at rest (the player loses any remaining time to see if the ball will fall into the hole).
In match play, if the ball overhanging the hole was moved by an opponent before the waiting time has ended, the ball is considered holed with the player’s last stroke. No penalty applies to the opponent. Basically, an opponent must give the player the right to his or her waiting time.
In stroke play, the player who lifted or moved the ball gets a two-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole and is at rest.
Actions to Make the Ball Fall Into the Hole
No, you may not jump near the hole, or blow on the ball, in hopes of making the ball fall into the hole. If you take an action like this, and the ball falls into the hole, you earn a one-stroke penalty and must replace the ball on the lip of the hole and tap it in.
Yes, you may cast your shadow over the ball in hopes the grass may wilt during those ten seconds and make the ball may fall into the hole. Good luck trying this one!
