Rules on the course

Ball Hits a Person, Equipment or Another Golf Ball

An accidental collision does not have one universal replay rule. Identify where the stroke began, what was hit and what happened to every ball involved.

Competition

Competitive Play · Updated October 22, 2026

Original worked cases

Same accidental contact; different next action

Situation	What changes	Next action
Chip from off the green hits a bag	Ordinary accidental deflection.	Normally play the moving ball where it finishes.
Putt hits another person on the green	The person is not the player or an attending flagstick person.	Apply the mandatory replay provision.
Putt hits the player’s own foot	The player is an express replay exception.	Normally play as it lies; do not assume a free do-over.
Putt hits a ball-marker	A marker is another express exception.	Normally play as it lies.
Putt hits a resting ball; both began on green	Stroke play and match play differ.	Stroke play: two-stroke collision penalty; replace the resting ball.

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

An accidental deflection usually has no collision penalty.
Some putting-green contacts require replay; important exceptions remain.
A stationary ball moved by another ball has its own replacement decision.

Follow both balls, not just the putt

Ava putts from the green into Ben’s resting ball, also on the green. Ben’s ball moves away. There are two records to maintain: Ava’s moving ball and Ben’s ball that was at rest. The collision rule does not let Ben accept the better new position.

In ordinary stroke play, the specified both-on-green collision gives Ava two penalty strokes. In match play that particular penalty does not apply. The format changes the penalty; it does not erase the stationary-ball replacement rule.

A green-origin stroke has named exceptions

Change Ben’s ball into a person standing on the green and the replay question changes. Now change that person into Ava herself and it changes again. A club used to make the stroke, ball-marker, ball at rest and flagstick also have specific treatment.

Check Rule 11.1b(2) rather than shortening it to “any object means replay.” Flagstick cases connect to Rule 13.2; a ball coming to rest on a person or moving object has another procedure.

Describe deliberate actions separately

All cases above assume accidental contact. Deliberately positioning a bag to stop a ball, or intentionally deflecting one, raises different provisions. Do not apply an accidental-contact example to an arranged backstop.

If the resting ball’s spot is uncertain, use the replacement procedure. For an unrelated nudge before a stroke, see ball-at-rest movement.

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)