Can I move a rake or bottle that's in my way?

Yes, you can remove a movable obstruction like a rake or bottle anywhere on the course without penalty (Rule 15.2a(1)). If your ball moves while you're removing it, just put it back — no penalty either.

What counts as a movable obstruction

A movable obstruction is any artificial object that can be moved with reasonable effort and without damaging the course. Think rakes, water bottles, scorecards, towels, drink cans, or a club someone left behind. If you can pick it up and carry it away easily, it's movable. Natural objects like loose stones or twigs are loose impediments, not obstructions — different rule.

How to do it and what happens if the ball moves

Pick up the obstruction and move it however you want — toss it aside, hand it to your caddie, whatever. No penalty. If your ball moves while you're doing this, there's still no penalty. You must replace the ball on its original spot (estimate it if you're not sure). That's Rule 14.2. Don't play it from the new spot.

When your ball is resting on or in the obstruction

If your ball is sitting on a towel, inside a plastic bag, or perched on a rake, you get free relief. Mark the spot right under where the ball crossed the edge of the obstruction, lift the ball, remove the obstruction, and drop within one club-length of that reference point, no closer to the hole. The original ball is out of play once you drop another one.

Exceptions that change the answer

• The obstruction is a tee marker and you're about to play from the teeing area → You must not move the tee markers (Rule 6.2b(4) and 8.1a(1)). Moving them improves the conditions for your stroke — that's a general penalty.
• You deliberately remove an obstruction to affect a ball that's already in motion → That's a breach of Rule 11.3. You get the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play, loss of hole in match play).

Frequently asked questions

Can I move a rake that's in a bunker before I play my shot?

Yes. A rake is a movable obstruction. You can remove it from anywhere — bunker, fairway, rough — without penalty. If your ball moves while you're moving the rake, replace it with no penalty.

What if my ball is lying on top of a towel someone left on the green?

Mark the spot right under where the ball rests on the towel, lift the ball, remove the towel, and drop within one club-length of that spot, no closer to the hole. Free relief, no penalty.

I accidentally kicked a water bottle and my ball moved. Penalty?

No penalty. The bottle is a movable obstruction. Replace your ball on its original spot (estimate if needed) and play on.

Can I move a tee marker if it's in my way on the fairway?

Yes, if you're not playing from the teeing area. The tee-marker restriction only applies when you're about to hit from the teeing ground. Anywhere else, it's just a movable obstruction.

What if I can't find my ball after moving a bag it was resting against?

If it's not known or virtually certain the ball was in or on the obstruction, it's lost. You must take stroke-and-distance relief under Rule 18.2 — back to where you last played from, plus one penalty stroke.