Approaching a green.
The first golfer puts the ball on the green. Let’s say…3 feet from the hole. The second golfer takes his swing.
His ball hits the first ball, knocks it in the hole.
What’s the ruling?
“If a ball in play and at rest is moved by another ball in motion after a stroke, the moved ball must be replaced.”
So far, the USGA has resisted my entreaties to rewrite the rules in the style of the KJV. 
But the spot of the ball isn’t marked. So it’s a judgement call?
Yes, you make your best guess as to where the moved ball originally was.
The guy who made the second stroke has to play his ball as it lies.
If it’s my ball I make the best guess?
If it’s the PGA that makes the guess. What if I don’t agree?
Golf is a matter of inches you know.
Your best guess. Subject to appeal, but golf is very big on self-disclosure – you pretty much wouldn’t be playing golf with someone you didn’t trust without appeal and you yourself would err on the side of harm to your own score. The exception would be a a tournament situation, in which case there would be a course steward hanging around the green, something which would encourage honestly on the part of the player.
Actually my question had to to do more with tournements than just a friendly game.
So it’s been answered.
Thanks.
The fun thing is that the player that hit the shot that landed three feet from the hole (the second player) has to play his/her ball wherever it ends up. Usually much farther away than three feet.
Manny had the correct rule. In casual or tournament play, all parties in the group playing that hole must agree to the spot, within reason.
Reeder, yes, golf is a game of inches, but not an exact science. If I was shooter one and my ball was 5" from the hole when this happens, placing it within an inch or so wouldn’t dramtically affect the finishing putt. Much less if it was 20 feet away.
The biggest concern I could see for getting the closest placement would be a PGA tour game with lots of money on the line. But in that case, I beleive the greens judge would have authority on that.
Hope that helped that a little. If not, I get to be mad at you for bringing up golf when I can’t play again till May. :mad:
In a tournament, you have to get your playing partner to agree. If there is any question, you can always call a rules official over to help decide. You’ll often see a player have a rules official watch over a drop he makes from a hazard just to make sure he doesn’t get dinged later.
Also, we’re assuming this isn’t a “blind approach” right? Where you actually see the ball hit the other one? Otherwise, how would a player know?
[smug]Hah! I walked nine and rode 18 just yesterday.[/smug]