Rule 11: Ball in Motion Hits Person, Animal or Object; Deliberate Actions to Affect Ball in Motion

An accidental hit brings no penalty to anyone, even if the ball hits the player, the opponent or any caddie or equipment.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1a · recall

Hitting one's own equipment by accident is no longer penalised; the ball is played as it lies.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1a; Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

This is the one exception to the no-penalty rule: in stroke play, ball against ball with both on the green before the stroke.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1a, Exception · applied

The ball-against-ball penalty applies in stroke play only; in match play there is none.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1a, Exception · applied

The exception needs both balls to have been on the putting green before the stroke.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1a, Exception · applied

The ball that was hit was moved by an outside influence, so it goes back on its original spot.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 9.6 · applied

Rule 11.1a covers any person, the player included.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1a · recall

With both balls on the green before the stroke, the player who putted is penalised in stroke play.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1a, Exception · applied

A stroke from off the green that hits an outside influence by accident is normally played as it lies.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

B putted on the green into a ball also on the green. A and D were played from off the green, and C hit the player's own foot, all without penalty.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1a · applied

A ball at rest on a moving outside influence must not be played as it lies; relief is taken from where it first came to rest.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

The reference point is the estimated point right under where the ball first came to rest on the person, animal or object.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · recall

The relief area is one club-length, in the same area of the course and not nearer the hole.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · recall

On the putting green the ball is placed on the estimated spot right under where it came to rest, not dropped.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

The ball came to rest on the ground, not on a moving object, so the result is accepted and it is played as it lies.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

A dog counts as an animal, so relief is measured from the place where it caught the ball.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

Relief cannot shift the ball into a different area of the course, such as from the rough onto a green.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · recall

Relief starts from the spot under where the ball first came to rest, not from where the cart ends up.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

On the green the procedure is to place the ball, using the replacing procedures.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

Relief is measured from right under where the ball first came to rest in the cart, B. A is where the cart stopped, C is where the stroke was made.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(1) · applied

A ball played from the green that hits a person other than the player must be replayed, without penalty.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2) · applied

The player is one of the exceptions to the replay rule, so the ball is played as it lies.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2) · applied

Insects are loose impediments, not animals that trigger a replay.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2) · applied

An animal that is not a loose impediment counts, so the stroke is replayed from where it was made.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2) · applied

A ball in motion is a movable obstruction, so a putt that hits one on the green is replayed.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Clarification 11.1b(2)/1 · applied

A ball-marker is one of the movable obstructions excluded from the replay rule.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2) · applied

Not replaying brings the general penalty and the stroke counts, but it is not playing from a wrong place.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2) · applied

The replay is played from the spot of the cancelled stroke.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2); Rule 14.6 · applied

An insect is a loose impediment, so there is no replay.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2) · applied

The dog (B) is an animal that is not a loose impediment. The ant (A), a ball-marker (C) and the player's own foot (D) are exceptions.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.1b(2) · applied

Deliberately stopping a ball in motion is a general penalty, and the caddie's action counts as the player's.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2b; Rule 10.3c · applied

The general penalty goes to the player who deliberately deflects or stops any ball in motion.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2b · applied

Relief is taken from the estimated spot where the ball would have come to rest if not stopped.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2c(1) · applied

If the ball would have come to rest out of bounds, stroke-and-distance relief applies.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2c(1) · applied

Equipment deliberately positioned to stop the ball counts as deliberate stopping, and a stroke from the green is replayed.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2a; Rule 11.2b; Rule 11.2c(2) · applied

Lifting a ball moving in water when taking relief under Rule 16.1 or 17 is an exception to Rule 11.2b.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2b, Exception · applied

A ball-marker or ball at rest already there before the stroke is excluded from deliberate deflection.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2a · recall

The player is penalised for the caddie's act, and the ball is played from where it would have come to rest.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2 · applied

Only players are penalised under Rule 11.2b; the putt is still replayed.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2c(2) · applied

The caddie puts a foot out to stop the ball (C). The tree (A), the passing spectator (B) and a ball-marker already on the green (D) are not deliberate.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.2a · applied

Removing a loose impediment to affect where a ball in motion might stop is a breach of Rule 11.3.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3 · applied

The breach is the deliberate action itself, even if it ends up making no difference.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3 · recall

A ball at rest on the putting green is one of the exceptions in Rule 11.3.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3, Exception · applied

A player's equipment, other than a ball at rest off the green or a ball-marker, may be moved.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3, Exception · applied

Altering physical conditions with a Rule 8.1a action to affect a ball in motion breaches Rule 11.3.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3 · applied

Lifting or moving a removed flagstick is one of the exceptions in Rule 11.3.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3, Exception · applied

The equipment exception does not cover a ball-marker anywhere on the course.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3, Exception · applied

A rake lying on the ground is a movable obstruction, and removing it to affect a ball in motion is a breach.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3 · applied

Lifting a ball at rest on the green is allowed while another ball is moving.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3, Exception · applied

A drags a fallen branch out of the ball's path. Lifting a ball at rest on the green (B), a removed flagstick (C) and one's own bag (D) are all exceptions.

Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 11.3 · applied