A gust of wind moves a player's golf ball after he/she has addressed it. What is the ruling?

Question

Is a one stroke penalty incurred because of a breech of Rule 18-2b and since wind is not considered an outside agency?

Answer 1

Rule 18-2b does not specify whether the ball has been moved an outside agency or not, therefore a penalty stroke is enforced.

Answer 2

If the player hadn't addressed the ball, there would be no penalty, but because he did, the ball must be replaced and a one-shot penalty assessed. A good example of what happens if the ball is not addressed is this hypothetical: A player hits his tee shot to the green on a par-3 hole. He marks his ball, cleans it and replaces it, picking up his ball marker in the process. As he is behind the ball, and before addressing it, a gust of wind blows the ball into the hole. Ruling? The player has made a hole-in-one.

Answer 3

I haven't looked at the specifics of the rule, but as i remember it, after you have addressed the ball and it moves for whatever reason, it is a stroke penalty, and you play it where it ends up.

Answer 4

In this month's golf digest, this is addressed on page 70. If the club was grounded there is a one stroke penalty. If not no rule has been broken.

Answer 5

if the player has not addresed the ball yet, then play as it lies, no stroke penalty.....but on the green, if the wind moves the ball and you have not marked it then you cant move t back to were it was before, if you have marked it, then put the ball on the marker and the ball moves then you move it back

Answer 6

One stroke penalty and you must try to replace the ball where it was.