February 2022
BALL OVERHANGING HOLE Rule 13.3
13.3a Waiting time to see if Ball Overhanging Hole Will Fall into the Hole
If any part of a player’s ball overhangs the lip of the hole
• The player is allowed a reasonable time to reach the hole and ten more seconds to wait and see whether the ball will fall into the hole.
• If the ball falls into the hole in this waiting time, the player has holed out with the previous shot.
• If the ball does not fall into the hole in this waiting time; the ball is treated as being at rest. If the ball then falls into the hole before it is played, the player has holed out with the previous stroke, but gets one penalty stroke added to the score for the hole.
13.3b What to do if Ball Overhanging Hole is Lifted or Moved Before Lifting time has ended
If a ball overhanging the hole is lifted or moved before the waiting time under the Rule 13.3a has ended, the ball is treated as having come to rest:
• The ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole and
• The waiting time under Rules 13.3a no longer applies to the ball.
If the opponent in match play or another player in stroke play deliberately lifts or moves the player’s ball before the waiting time has ended:
• In match play, the player’s ball is treated as holed from the previous stroke, and there is no penalty to the opponent.
• In stroke play the player who lifted the moved ball gets the general penalty of 2 strokes. The ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole.
