# Golfers..a golf question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 23, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209 "2004-11-23T01:55:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/1 "2004-11-23T01:55:27Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/2 "2004-11-23T02:00:12Z")
[The Rules of Golf 18:5](http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/books/index.html) “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. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/3 "2004-11-23T02:44:33Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > [The Rules of Golf 18:5](http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/books/index.html) > > “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? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/4 "2004-11-23T03:15:47Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/5 "2004-11-23T03:24:05Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/6 "2004-11-23T03:39:07Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/7 "2004-11-23T03:45:32Z")
Actually my question had to to do more with tournements than just a friendly game. So it’s been answered. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/8 "2004-11-23T04:10:35Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/9 "2004-11-23T06:03:04Z")
**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: ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/10 "2004-11-23T06:04:51Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/11 "2004-11-23T06:08:32Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfers-a-golf-question/276209/12 "2004-11-24T00:50:00Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > 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: [smug]Hah! I walked nine and rode 18 just yesterday.[/smug]