Written by: Darin Green, Senior Director of Rules & Competitions
Even if someone knows the Rules of Golf well, it does not mean that they do not breach the Rules; and I am the perfect example. Last week I was playing in a member-guest tournament and I breached a Rule and earned a one-stroke penalty.
On the third hole my approach shot rolled over the green and came to rest in a closely mown chipping area behind the green. I felt using my putter for my next stroke would produce the best outcome. I was standing near my ball and taking several practice swings while surveying the hill I needed to overcome and my club accidentally made contact with my ball, moving the ball several feet to the side. I was shocked, but quickly picked my ball up, replaced it to where I accidentally moved it from, played my next stroke which ended about two feet from the hole, and tapped it in. My partner said “nice par”, but I corrected him and said I made a bogey because I had a one stroke penalty.
If I did not replace my ball after I accidentally moved it, the one stroke penalty would have gone away and I would have earned a two stroke penalty for playing from a wrong place.
Rule 9.4 is Ball Lifted or Moved by Player and covers my situation. Basically, the Rule says if a player lifts their ball, purposely touches their ball, or causes their ball
to move, the player earns a one stroke penalty and must put the ball back. However, there are five exceptions where the player does not get a one stroke penalty. Those exceptions are:
1) There is no penalty when the player is allowed to lift or move their ball when operating under a Rule that allows the ball to be lifted. For instance, if the player’s ball is at rest on a cart path and is able to take free relief from it, the player may lift the ball (does not need to mark the spot).
2) There is no penalty if a player accidentally moves their ball when they are actively searching for it or when they are trying to identify it.
3) There is no penalty when a player accidentally causes their ball to move on the putting green, no matter it happens. Some common causes are dropping a ball marker or club on the ball, or accidentally moving the ball with a practice swing.
4) There is no penalty if a player accidentally moves their ball while applying a Rule. Some examples where a player may accidentally move their ball while applying a Rule are: attempting to mark or lift the ball, removing a movable obstruction (towel, rake, etc.), restoring worsened conditions (someone throws sand on and around your ball and you accidentally move the ball when restoring the conditions), and measuring (to see who is away or moving a ball because it was interfering with someone else).
5) There is no penalty if a player’s ball comes to rest against the player or their equipment from the result of a stroke or drop, and the ball moves when either the player moves away from the ball or moves their equipment away from the ball.
While it is not covered in Rule 9.4, another Rule covers when a ball is in the teeing area and moved by the player. When a ball is in the teeing area it is normally not in play yet and the ball can be moved purposely or accidentally without penalty.
Enjoy your time on the course and be careful when taking your practice swings (except on the putting green)!
