What happens if you accidentally move your golf ball?

The situation

You're walking to your ball and accidentally kick it. Or you brush it with your club while taking your stance. The ball wasn't where it was supposed to be anymore.

The rule

Under Rule 9.4b, if you or your caddie accidentally cause your ball to move, the penalty is 1 stroke and you must replace the ball before playing. However, there are several specific situations where accidental movement carries no penalty and you simply replace the ball: while searching for it (Rule 7.4), while removing a loose impediment (Rule 15.1a), while marking the spot or lifting and replacing (Rule 9.7), while measuring for relief (Rule 9.4a), or when taking a stroke in the teeing area (Rule 6.2b).

Real example

You're walking through the rough to your ball, catch your foot on a hidden root, stumble, and kick the ball three yards forward. That's a 1-stroke penalty — add the stroke, return the ball to where it was, and play.

What to do on the course

• Add 1 penalty stroke to your score
• Replace the ball in its original position before playing
• If you're unsure whether the move was during a protected action (searching, measuring, etc.), think back to exactly what you were doing when it happened
• Call it on yourself — this is one of the rules golf relies on player honesty to enforce

Penalty

1-stroke penalty in most cases. No penalty if the movement happened during a specifically protected action (searching, marking, measuring, removing loose impediment).