Rules of Golf 101: My Ball Is Overhanging the Hole!

Play long enough, and it's bound to happen to you or someone in your group. You hit that perfect putt--be it from 6 feet or 24 feet--and the ball agonizingly stops just on the edge of the cup. 

Now what? 

Do you wait? For how long? What if a gust of wind comes?

This situation falls under Rule 13.3: Ball Overhanging Hole

Here's how to proceed for when/if this situation ever arises.

a. 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 10 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 a one penalty stroke added to the score for the hole.

b. What to Do If Ball Overhanging Hole Is Lifted or Moved Before Waiting Time Has Ended

If a ball overhanging the hole is lifted or moved, other than by natural forces, 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 (see Rule 14.2), and
• The waiting time under Rule 13.3a no longer applies to the ball. (See Rule 9.3 for what to do if the replaced ball is then moved by natural forces.)

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 (see Rule 14.2).

Want to learn more about the Rules of Golf?

The NCGA Rules experts are hosting eight On-Course Rules Seminars starting April 16 and running until June 18 at various sites across the NorCal region. 

These one-day seminars get you out on the course where you will see practical demonstrations of the Rules of Golf in action via four distinctive “stations”-- (Bunkers, Greens, Penalty Areas/OB and Immovable Obstructions). Attendees rotate from station to station throughout the four-hour morning presentation.

Visit the NCGA's On-Course Rules Seminar page to learn more