In stroke play, a player’s ball lies just outside a bunker in the general area. They properly take relief from a sprinkler head and the ball comes to rest in the proper relief area. Before making their next stroke, the ball moves coming to rest inside the bunker. It is not known or virtually certain what caused the ball to move. They then play the ball from its new position. What penalty if any, does the player receive?

A.       No Penalty

B.       One Stroke Penalty

C.       General Penalty

D.       Loss of hole Penalty

To “play the ball as it lies” its incumbent upon us to not cause our ball to move. But at times, when the ball is moved, its not related to any action taken by the player or their caddie. Often, we are aware that the ball has moved, but at times we are unable to identify why. In either of these cases, we can reference Rule 9 to give us guidance on how to proceed.

9.2  Deciding Whether Ball Moved and What Caused It to Move

a. Deciding Whether Ball Moved

A player’s ball at rest is treated as having moved only if it is known or virtually certain that it did.

If the ball might have moved but this is not known or virtually certain, it is treated as not having moved and must be played as it lies.

b. Deciding What Caused Ball to Move

When a player’s ball at rest has moved:

• It must be decided what caused it to move.
• This determines whether the player must replace the ball or play it as it lies and whether there is a penalty.

(1) Four Possible Causes. The Rules recognize only four possible causes for a ball at rest that moves before the player makes a stroke:

• Natural forces, such as wind or water (see Rule 9.3),
• The player's actions, including the actions of the player’s caddie (see Rule 9.4),
• The opponent's actions in match play, including the actions of the opponent’s caddie (see Rule 9.5), or
• An outside influence, including any other player in stroke play (see Rule 9.6).

See Rules 22.2 (in Foursomes, either partner may act for the side and action by the partner is treated as action of the player); 23.5 (in Four-Ball, either partner may act for the side and action by the partner concerning the player’s ball or equipment is treated as action of the player).

(2) “Known or Virtually Certain” Standard for Deciding What Caused Ball to Move.

• The player, the opponent or an outside influence is treated as having caused the ball to move only if it is known or virtually certain to be the cause.
• If it is not known or virtually certain that at least one of these was the cause, the ball is treated as having been moved by natural forces.

In applying this standard, all reasonably available information must be considered, which means all information the player knows or can get with reasonable effort and without unreasonably delaying play.

It this week’s question the player knows that the ball has moved. Now we need to determine what caused the ball to move and Rule 9.2b(1) recognizes the 4 possible causes for a ball at rest moving. We are also aware that if it is not known or virtually certain that at least one of the four possible causes was responsible for the ball to move, the ball is to be treated as having been moved by natural forces.

So, in this case the ball would need to be played from its new location without penalty to the player. Correct?? Maybe?? Not sure now??

As Lew Holtz, the former Notre Dame football coach, would say “Not so fast my Friends”.

Remember that our player has taken relief from a sprinkler head, dropped it in accordance with the rules, and they watched the ball come to rest in the general area. After completing this process and before making their next stroke the ball has moved into another part of the course, a bunker.

Under the 2019 Rules of Golf this ball would have needed to be played from the bunker, but due to 2 very high profile instances, Ricky Fowler and Charlie Hoffman both at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where the ball was replaced on the spot by the player and then subsequently rolled into a penalty area, this rule has been changed.

The 2023 Rules now state that once the player has dropped, placed, or replaced, the ball and it moves into a different area of the golf course, it must be replaced on the original spot (which if not known must be estimated). Rule 9.3 Exception 2 directly addresses this situationand how a player must proceed.

9.3  Ball Moved by Natural Forces

If natural forces (such as wind or water) cause a player’s ball at rest to move:

• There is no penalty, and
• The ball must be played from its new spot.

Exception 1 – Ball on Putting Green Must Be Replaced If It Moves After Having Already Been Lifted and Replaced (see Rule 13.1d): If the player’s ball on the putting green moves after the player had already lifted and replaced the ball on the spot from which it moved:

• The ball must be replaced on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated) (see Rule 14.2).
• This is true no matter what caused it to move (including natural forces).

Exception 2 – Ball at Rest Must Be Replaced If It Moves to Another Area of the Course or Out of Bounds After Being Dropped, Placed or Replaced: If the player puts the original ball or another ball into play by dropping, placing or replacing it, and natural forces cause the ball at rest to move and come to rest in another area of the course or out of bounds, the ball must be replaced on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated) (see Rule 14.2). But for a ball on the putting green that was replaced, see Exception 1.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 9.3: General Penalty under Rule 14.7a

Based upon this we know that the answer to this week’s question is “C”, 2penalty strokes as the player failed to return their ball to the required spot before playing a stroke.

Remember that this ball only gets replaced if it moves into a different part of the course. If the ball had moved and stayed in the general area, the ball would have been played from its new location without penalty.

Do you have a rules question that you have often wondered about? If so, please send it to dmiller@mvgolf.org for an answer and who knows it could very well be our next “Rules Question of the Week”.