What happens if your golf ball hits a spectator?
No penalty. If your ball accidentally hits a spectator, play it from where it comes to rest — Rule 11.1a treats spectators as outside influences. If a spectator deliberately stops or catches it, place the ball at the estimated spot where it would have come to rest (Rule 11.1b); if that spot cannot be estimated, replay the stroke.
The rule
A spectator is an outside influence. Under Rule 11.1a, accidental contact carries no penalty — play the ball from where it comes to rest after impact. Under Rule 11.1b, deliberate interference by a spectator means you may place the ball at the estimated spot where it would have come to rest without the interference, or play it from where it ended up. If the ball is caught and its final position is impossible to estimate, you may replay the stroke.
Exceptions that change the answer
- The player's ball in motion on the putting green in stroke play hits another ball at rest that was also on the green before the stroke. → The player incurs the general penalty of two penalty strokes.
- The player's ball played from outside the putting green accidentally hits a person, animal, or moving outside influence and comes to rest on that person, animal, or moving outside influence. → The player must take relief and may not play the ball as it lies; the original ball must be dropped.
FAQ
Is there a penalty if a golf ball hits a spectator?
No. Under Rule 11.1a, a ball that accidentally hits a spectator carries no penalty to any player. Play from wherever the ball comes to rest after contact — even if the deflection leaves you in a worse position.
What happens if a spectator catches your golf ball?
You are entitled to place it at the estimated spot where it would have come to rest had it not been caught (Rule 11.1b). If that spot is genuinely impossible to estimate, you may replay the stroke. No penalty applies in either case.
What if a spectator deliberately deflects or stops your ball?
Under Rule 11.1b, deliberate interference by an outside influence lets you place the ball at the estimated spot where it would have come to rest without the interference, or choose to play it from where it ended up. No penalty to the player — call a referee or committee member when possible.
Do you have to play from where the ball rests after hitting a spectator?
Yes, in the accidental case you must play from wherever the ball ends up, for better or worse. You cannot replay the shot simply because the deflection cost you position. The only exception is when a spectator catches the ball and its likely resting point cannot be estimated, in which case a replay is permitted under Rule 11.1b.
Related situations
- What happens if your ball hits another player? — the same Rule 11.1a no-penalty result applies for accidental collisions with fellow competitors.
- What happens if your ball hits your partner? — covers four-ball and foursomes formats where your ball strikes your partner or their caddie.
- What happens if your ball hits a golf cart? — Rule 11.1 covers equipment too; no penalty whether it is your cart or someone else's.
- What happens if my ball is deliberately deflected from the fairway? — when a player or caddie deliberately stops a ball in motion from off the green, Rule 11.2c applies: you estimate where it would have stopped in the general area and drop, while the deflector incurs the general penalty.