What happens if someone deliberately stops my ball in Stableford when it had no chance of going in?

You get zero points for the hole because you didn't hole out. Since the ball had no chance of going in anyway, there's no penalty for the deliberate stop under Rule 11.2b(2) Exception. The hole is over and you move on.

Why zero points?

In Stableford, the Rules are clear: if you don't hole out under the Rules for any reason, you get zero points for that hole. It doesn't matter why the ball didn't go in — whether you picked it up, it was stopped by someone, or you just missed the putt. No hole-out means no points. The hole is considered completed once your score will result in zero points, so you don't need to keep putting.

What about the person who stopped it?

Normally, deliberately stopping a ball in motion is a serious breach — two-stroke penalty in stroke play, loss of hole in match play. But there's an exception: if the ball had no chance of being holed (it was clearly going to miss), there's no penalty to anyone and the ball is played as it lies. Since your ball had no chance, the exception applies. The other player doesn't get penalized, and you don't get any relief or do-over.

What do you do next?

The ball comes to rest wherever it was stopped. You'd normally play it from there, but since it already had no chance of going in and you're now getting zero points anyway, there's no reason to continue. Pick up, mark zero on the card (or leave it blank — both are acceptable for a zero-point hole in Stableford), and head to the next tee. The Committee will calculate your points later.

Exceptions that change the answer

• The ball actually had a chance of going in when it was deliberately stopped → Rule 11.2b applies in full: the person who stopped it gets the general penalty (two strokes), and you must estimate where the ball would have come to rest and play from there — or replay the stroke if it was on the putting green. You'd still need to hole out to earn points.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish the hole if someone stops my ball?

No. In Stableford, once your score will result in zero points, the hole is completed. You can pick up immediately — no need to putt out from where the ball was stopped.

What do I write on the scorecard for that hole?

Either leave it blank or write any score that results in zero points (like a high number). The Committee calculates your Stableford points afterward, so the exact stroke count doesn't matter for a zero-point hole.

Does the person who stopped my ball get disqualified?

Not if the ball had no chance of going in. The Exception to Rule 11.2b(2) says there's no penalty to anyone when a ball with no chance of being holed is deliberately stopped. If it did have a chance, they'd get two strokes.

Can I replay the putt if someone stops my ball?

Only if the ball had a chance of going in. If it had no chance, the Exception applies: no penalty, no replay, ball played as it lies. Since you're getting zero points anyway, replaying would change nothing.

What if I'm not sure whether the ball had a chance?

If there's doubt, treat it as having had a chance. You'd estimate where it would have finished and play from there (or replay if on the green), and the person who stopped it gets two strokes. But if it was clearly rolling past the hole with no chance, the Exception applies.