How to recreate your original lie after moving your ball
You must put the ball back on the exact spot it came from — including the same height off the ground. If it won't stay there, you follow the drop procedure in Rule 14.2e instead of pushing it into the turf.
What "original spot" really means
The original spot isn't just an X on the grass — it includes the vertical position the ball was sitting at before you lifted or moved it. If your ball was perched on a tuft of grass or nestled against a root, that's where it goes back. You can rotate the ball any way you like (line up the logo, turn the mud away from the clubface) as long as that vertical height stays the same.
When the ball won't stay put
Sometimes the lie is so precarious — a steep bunker slope, a divot edge — that the ball simply rolls away when you set it down. Don't push it into the ground to make it stay. That's not allowed. Instead, you go to Rule 14.2e: try a second time, and if it still won't stay, you place it at the nearest spot where it will stay at rest, no closer to the hole, in the same area of the course.
Loose impediments that move while you're working
If a twig or leaf shifts when you mark and lift the ball, or while you're getting ready to put it back, you don't have to put that impediment back. The rule accepts that some stuff moves in the process. Just replace the ball on the spot and play on.
Exceptions that change the answer
- Your ball starts moving during your backswing or stroke and you go ahead and hit it → Play it as it lies — no replacement, no penalty for the movement (Rule 9.1b).
- The original ball is lost, cut, cracked, or was played by someone else as a wrong ball → You may substitute another ball when replacing.
- Play was suspended and you're resuming → You may use a different ball when replacing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I clean the ball when I'm putting it back on the original spot?
Only if the rule allowing the lift also allows cleaning. If you lifted under a rule that doesn't permit cleaning (like identifying your ball), you must replace it with the mud still on it — though you can rotate the ball so the mud faces away from your clubface.
What if I can't find the exact original spot?
Estimate it as best you can. The rules accept your honest best guess when the precise spot is unknown.
Do I have to put back a divot or twig that moved when I lifted the ball?
No. If a loose impediment moves while you're marking, lifting, or before you replace the ball, you don't have to restore it. Just put the ball back on the spot.
Can I use a different ball when replacing on the original spot?
Only in specific cases: the original is lost despite reasonable search, cut or cracked, play was suspended and is resuming, or another player played your ball as a wrong ball. Otherwise, the same ball must go back.