Your ball is on the putting green about 15 feet from the hole. You hit your putt and it ends up over hanging the hole. What do the Rules of golf say about this situation?
Rule 13.3a Waiting Time to See If Ball Overhanging Hole Will Fall into 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 to 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 stroke.
• 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.
Rule 13.3b What to Do If Ball Overhanging Hole is Lifted or Moved Before Waiting Time Has Ended
If a ball overhanging hole is lifted or moved before the waiting time under 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 Rule 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 overhanging the hole before the waiting time has ended:
• In match play, the player’s ball is treated as holed with the previous stroke, and there is no penalty to the opponent under Rule 11.2b
• In stroke play, the player who lifted or moved the ball gets the general penalty (two penalty strokes). The ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole.
Here is this month’s golf etiquette tip: Our golf carts are equipped with two sand buckets. The sand is used for filling divots. These sand buckets are not to be used as an ash tray for cigarette and cigar butts.
