Rules on the course

Ball Moves at Address: Cause, Location and Penalty

A ball moving beside your club does not prove that the club moved it. Establish the cause, the course area and whether the ball had already been lifted and replaced.

Competition

Competitive Play · Updated October 22, 2026

Original worked cases

Change one fact; change the answer

Situation	What changes	Next action
Wind on the green	Ava has not yet lifted and replaced it: normally play the new spot.	Ben already lifted and replaced it: replace at the spot it moved from.
Accidental nudge	On the green: replace without a movement penalty.	Ordinary address nudge in the general area: normally replace with one penalty stroke.
Searching versus preparing	A shoe accidentally moves the ball during a reasonable search: replace, no movement penalty.	The search exception is not permission to move an identified ball while setting up.
Known outside influence	Another stroke-play player definitely kicks the stationary ball: replace.	No reliable evidence of a person or outside influence: apply the natural-force standard.
After a relief procedure	A dropped ball rests, then wind takes it into a different course area: the special replacement exception matters.	That differs from a ball still rolling during the drop procedure.
Before versus during backswing	Movement before the backswing normally calls for resolving the next spot first.	If it begins during the backswing and the stroke continues, Rule 9.1b changes the replacement step.

Fictional examples for the stated conditions. Read the complete official provisions for exceptions and the procedure that applies to your actual ball.

The short version

Proximity to the ball is not proof of cause.
An accidental green movement and an ordinary off-green nudge have different penalty rules.
The next spot and the penalty are separate decisions.

Start with evidence, not a guilty feeling

Ava sees a wobble as she grounds her club. Ben sees the ball change position. Those observations answer different questions. A ball that merely oscillates and returns to its original spot has not moved under the definition. Record what actually changed before deciding who caused it.

Consider witnesses, contact, slope and other reasonably available information. Rule 9 uses a known-or-virtually-certain standard for movement and for attributing the cause. Do not manufacture certainty from the timing alone.

Resolve the spot before making the stroke

In the first pair, both balls are on the putting green and both are moved by wind. The difference is the prior lifting and replacement. In the second pair, the movement is accidental in both cases, but the course area changes.

This is why “no penalty” does not mean “play it wherever it finished.” Replacement can still be required. When the original spot is unknown, use the applicable estimation and replacement procedure rather than dropping beside the new location.

Keep the exceptions attached to their facts

The search exception covers accidental movement while trying to find or identify the ball. A completed relief procedure has its own natural-force exception when the ball later moves to another course area or out of bounds. A ball that never comes to rest is a different problem: use drop, re-drop or place.

If you deliberately lift a ball to identify or inspect it, consult when cleaning is allowed before wiping away the evidence.

Official sources

Official provisions checked October 22, 2026. Read their full wording and current event conditions.

Your next move

Read the governing source

Check the complete official procedure and your event conditions before acting.

Read the governing source(Official source)