Rules of Golf - Rule 19: Ball in Motion Deflected or
Stopped
19-1. By Outside Agency
If a ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by any outside
agency, it is a rub of the green, there is no penalty and the ball must
be played as it lies except:
a. If a ball in motion after a stroke other than on the putting green
comes to rest in or on any moving or animate outside agency, the player
must, through the green or in a hazard, drop the ball, or on the putting
green place the ball, as near as possible to the spot where the outside
agency was when the ball came to rest in or on it, and
b. If a ball in motion after a stroke on the putting green is deflected
or stopped by, or comes to rest in or on, any moving or animate outside
agency except a worm or an insect, the stroke is canceled. The ball must
be replaced and the stroke replayed.
If the ball is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be
substituted.
(Player’s ball deflected or stopped by another ball — see Rule 19-5.)
Note: If the referee or the Committee determines that a player’s ball
has been purposely deflected or stopped by an outside agency, Rule 1-4
applies to the player. If the outside agency is a fellow-competitor or
his caddie, Rule 1-2 applies to the fellow-competitor.
19-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment
g a. Match Play
If a player’s ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by himself, his
partner or either of their caddies or equipment, he loses the hole.
g b. Stroke Play
If a competitor’s ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by himself,
his partner or either of their caddies or equipment, the competitor
incurs a penalty of two strokes. The ball must be played as it lies,
except when it comes to rest in or on the competitor’s, his partner’s or
either of their caddies’ clothes or equipment, in which case the
competitor must through the green or in a hazard drop the ball, or on
the putting green place the ball, as near as possible to where the
article was when the ball came to rest in or on it.
Exception: Dropped ball — see Rule 20-2a.
(Ball purposely deflected or stopped by player, partner or caddie — see
Rule 1-2.)
19-3. By Opponent, Caddie or Equipment in Match Play
If a player’s ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by an opponent,
his caddie or his equipment, there is no penalty. The player may, before
another stroke is made by either side, cancel the stroke and play a ball
without penalty as nearly as possible at the spot from which the
original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5) or he may play the ball as
it lies. However, if the player elects not to cancel the stroke and the
ball has come to rest in or on the opponent’s or his caddie’s clothes or
equipment, the player must through the green or in a hazard drop the
ball, or on the putting green place the ball, as near as possible to
where the article was when the ball came to rest in or on it.
Exception: Ball striking person attending flagstick — see Rule 17-3b.
(Ball purposely deflected or stopped by opponent or caddie — see Rule
1-2.)
19-4. By Fellow-Competitor, Caddie or Equipment in Stroke
Play
See Rule 19-1 regarding ball deflected by outside agency.
19-5. By Another Ball
g a. At Rest
If a player’s ball in motion after a stroke is deflected or stopped by a
ball in play and at rest, the player must play his ball as it lies. In
match play, there is no penalty. In stroke play, there is no penalty
unless both balls lay on the putting green prior to the stroke, in which
case the player incurs a penalty of two strokes.
g b. In Motion
If a player’s ball in motion after a stroke is deflected or stopped by
another ball in motion after a stroke, the player must play his ball as
it lies. There is no penalty unless the player was in breach of Rule
16-1f, in which case he incurs the penalty for breach of that Rule.
Exception: If the player’s ball is in motion after a stroke on the
putting green and the other ball in motion is an outside agency — see
Rule 19-1b.
Penalty for Breach of Rule:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes.
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