Jackson Reid
Rule 18 of golf, also known as Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out of Bounds, Provisional Ball, covers the penalties incurred when a ball is lost or out of bounds, as well as the rules around playing provisional balls. The rule also covers what to do when a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency or another ball, and whether a penalty stroke is incurred.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Rule Number | 18 |
| Title | Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out of Bounds, Provisional Ball |
| Subsections | 18-1: Relief Under Penalty of Stroke and Distance Allowed at Any Time |
| 18-2: Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Stroke-and-Distance Relief Must Be Taken | |
| 18-3: By Opponent, Caddie or Equipment in Match Play | |
| 18-4: By Fellow-Competitor, Caddie or Equipment in Stroke Play | |
| 18-5: Ball Another Ball | |
| 18-6: Measuring | |
| Penalty | Match play – loss of hole; Stroke play – two strokes |
| Application | If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. |
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What You'll Learn
Ball at rest moved by an outside agency
Rule 18 in golf covers stroke-and-distance penalties, when the golf ball is lost or out of bounds, and playing provisional balls. It is divided into three sections:
If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, there is no penalty, and the player must replace the ball. An outside agency is anything other than a player, caddie, a ball in play on the hole, or a player's equipment. Wind and water are not considered outside agencies. For example, if a tumbleweed hits and moves a player's ball, there is no penalty as long as the player replaces the ball as close as possible to its original spot.
If it is not clear whether a player, their opponent, or an outside influence caused the ball to move, the movement will be attributed to natural forces. Natural forces include wind, water, and gravity. If a ball is moved by any of these natural forces, there is no penalty, and the player will generally play the ball from its new location. The exception is on the putting green. If a player has already marked, lifted, and replaced their ball on the putting green, and it then moves due to wind or gravity, the player must replace the ball on its original spot.
To apply this rule, it must be known or virtually certain that an outside agency has moved the ball. If not, the player must deem the ball lost and proceed under Rule 27 for a lost ball.
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Ball at rest moved by another ball
Rule 18 in Golf, also known as "Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out of Bounds, Provisional Ball", covers various scenarios where a ball at rest is moved. This includes when a ball at rest is moved by another ball, which is covered under Rule 18-5.
If a ball in play and at rest is moved by another ball in motion after a stroke, there is no penalty, and the moved ball must be replaced. This is specified under Rule 18-5, which states that a ball in play and at rest must be replaced without penalty if another ball hits it.
It is important to note that this rule specifically addresses the situation where one ball in motion strikes another ball that is at rest. In this case, the player whose ball was initially at rest is not penalised and can simply replace their ball back to its original position.
This scenario is distinct from other situations covered by Rule 18, such as when a ball is lost or out of bounds, or when a provisional ball is played. Rule 18 outlines the procedures for taking relief under penalty of stroke and distance, which involves resuming play from where the previous stroke was made.
It is worth mentioning that while Rule 18 provides guidance on specific scenarios, the general principle in the Rules of Golf is that a ball should be played as it lies. Players are expected to exercise caution around their ball to avoid accidental movement. Accidental movement of a ball during a round can result in a penalty, although there are exceptions, such as accidental movement on the putting green.
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Ball lost or out of bounds
Rule 18 of the Rules of Golf covers stroke-and-distance penalties, when the golf ball is lost or out of bounds, and playing provisional balls. This rule covers taking relief under penalty of stroke and distance. When a ball is lost outside a penalty area or comes to rest out of bounds, the required progression of playing from the teeing area to the hole is broken. The player must resume that progression by playing again from where the previous stroke was made.
A ball is considered lost if it is not found within three minutes after the player, their caddie, or their partner begin to search for it. If the player's ball is lost or out of bounds, they must add a penalty stroke to their score and play another ball from where they played their last shot. This is known as "stroke and distance". If the player thinks their ball may be lost or out of bounds, they may play a provisional ball from where their first ball was played. They must inform their opponent or fellow competitor that they are playing a provisional ball. If the player cannot find their first ball or if it is out of bounds, they must count all the strokes with the first ball and provisional ball, add a penalty stroke, and play out the hole with the provisional ball.
If the player plays from the general area and then drops another ball to take stroke-and-distance relief, they must continue with the dropped ball under penalty of stroke and distance. If they continue with the original ball in this case, they would be playing a wrong ball. For example, a player’s tee shot comes to rest in a wooded area. The player picks up a ball, believing it is a stray ball, but discovers the ball was the ball in play. The player then decides to play under stroke and distance. The player gets one penalty stroke under Rule 9.4b in addition to the stroke and distance penalty under Rule 18.1, since at the time the ball was lifted, the player was not allowed to do so.
When a player plays multiple balls from the same spot, each ball relates only to the previous ball played. For example, a player plays a provisional ball believing that their tee shot might be lost or out of bound. The provisional ball is struck in the same direction as the original ball and, without any announcement, they play another ball from the tee. If the original ball is not lost or out of bounds, the player must continue play with the original ball without penalty. However, if the original ball is lost or out of bounds, the player must continue play with the third ball played from the tee since it was played without any announcement. Therefore, the third ball was a ball substituted for the provisional ball under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 18.1), regardless of the provisional ball’s location.
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Provisional ball
Rule 18 of golf covers taking relief under penalty of stroke and distance. This rule also covers how and when a provisional ball may be played. A provisional ball is intended to save time and distance in case a player hits a shot that may be lost in the General Area (not likely to be in a Penalty Area) or may be out of bounds.
If a player believes their original ball is lost or out of bounds, they must announce their intention to play a provisional ball. The player must use the word "provisional" or clearly indicate that they are playing under Rule 18.3. If the player does not make this announcement, the ball they play becomes their ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance.
A player may continue to play the provisional ball without it losing its status as a provisional ball as long as it is played from a spot that is the same distance or farther from the hole than where the original ball is estimated to be. However, if the provisional ball is played from a spot nearer to the hole than the original ball, the provisional ball becomes the ball in play, and the original ball is deemed lost.
If the original ball is found, the player must use it and cannot continue with the provisional ball, even if the original ball is "unplayable".
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Stroke-and-distance penalties
Rule 18 in golf, also known as "Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out of Bounds, Provisional Ball", covers the following scenarios:
When a Ball Is Lost or Out of Bounds
If a ball is lost outside a penalty area or comes to rest out of bounds, the player must resume the progression of playing from the teeing area to the hole by playing again from where the previous stroke was made. This is known as taking relief under penalty of stroke and distance. A ball is considered lost if it is not found within three minutes after the player first begins to search or if another ball is put into play.
Playing a Provisional Ball
If a player believes their ball may be lost or out of bounds, they may play a provisional ball from where their first ball was played. They must inform their opponent or fellow competitor that they are doing so. If the original ball cannot be found or is out of bounds, the player must count all the strokes with the first ball and provisional ball, add a penalty stroke, and play out the hole with the provisional ball.
Announcing a Provisional Ball
When playing a provisional ball, an announcement must be made so that people in the vicinity of the player can hear it. If there are no other people nearby to hear the announcement, the player is considered to have correctly announced that they are playing a provisional ball.
Each Ball Relates Only to the Previous Ball
If a player plays multiple balls from the same spot, each ball relates only to the previous ball played. For example, if a player plays a provisional ball, believing their original ball may be lost or out of bounds, and then plays another ball from the tee without any announcement, that third ball becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance.
Exceptions to Avoiding the Penalty
If a player lifts their ball when not allowed to do so, they cannot avoid the one-stroke penalty under Rule 9.4b by then deciding to play under stroke and distance. For example, if a player's tee shot comes to rest in a wooded area and they pick it up, believing it to be a stray ball, they will incur a penalty stroke under Rule 9.4b in addition to the stroke and distance penalty under Rule 18.1.
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Frequently asked questions
Rule 18 in golf covers stroke-and-distance penalties, when the golf ball is lost or out of bounds, and playing provisional balls.
A provisional ball is played in case the ball in play might be out of bounds or lost outside a penalty area.
If a ball in play and at rest is moved by another ball in motion after a stroke, the moved ball must be replaced. There is no penalty in this scenario.
