"Contact accidents" — balls colliding with each other — happen frequently on the putting green. With multiple players converging in a tight space near the hole, the final destination, such incidents are inevitable. How do the Rules of Golf apply to the various situations? Here is a breakdown of the rules by scenario so you can avoid unnecessary disputes on the course this weekend.
① When an approach shot hits another ball on the green
Situations where balls move on the green can be broadly categorized into three types. The first is when a player hits an approach from off the green and strikes another player's stationary ball already on the putting green. In this case, the player who hit the approach from off the green simply plays the ball as it lies. There is no penalty (Rule 11.1). The player whose ball was on the green must replace the moved ball at its original spot and play from there (Rule 9.6). Caution is warranted: playing from the new spot where the ball moved to, rather than the original spot, results in a general penalty (two strokes).
