Golf Ball Collision on the Putting Green: Now What?
Here’s exactly how to proceed when golf balls collide on the putting green
The Rules of Golf are notorious for being confusing and overly penal, so if you’re playing an important round and a putt collides with a ball at rest on the putting green, it’s understandable that a moment of panic immediately follows.
Unfortunately for you, this scenario is a prime example of the Rules of Golf being confusing and overly penal.
If your ball starts on the putting green and collides with a ball at rest that was also on the putting green before your stroke, you get the general penalty, meaning two strokes in stroke play or an automatic loss of hole in match play.
In case you didn’t notice, there’s a lot of minutiae in that Rule, so let’s unpack all those granular details.
Putting Green Ball Collision Penalty Rules
Rule 11.1 is titled "Ball in Motion Accidentally Hits Person or Outside Influence" and Rule 11.1a is headlined "No Penalty to Any Player" which would make the Rules seem quite forgiving in this instance if it weren't for one very specific and crippling exception.
The exception to Rule 11.1a states: If the player’s ball in motion hits another ball at rest on the putting green and both balls were on the putting green before the stroke, the player gets the general penalty.”
In other words, if your ball is on the green, and you hit another ball that’s on the green, go ahead and add two strokes to your score in stroke play or take the loss and head to the next tee in match play.
However, if your putt came from the fringe, you chipped, or hit a ball that wasn’t at rest on the green when you made your stroke (when you and another player made strokes at the same time, for example), then you’re off the hook.
Marking a Ball on the Putting Green
If you ever find a ball at rest on the putting green that even has a remote chance of interfering with your putt, you can require your opponent to mark that ball, ensuring you avoid penalty.
In stroke play, the player who is required to mark has the option to simply play first instead, but cannot simply refuse to move their ball. In match play, your opponent does not have the option to play first.
Golf History: The Stymie
Collision Course
It’s brutal that the Rules of Golf state repeatedly that if your ball collides with a ball at rest, it’s no big deal, just replace the ball at rest and play on, only to add the exception that if both balls are on the putting green, it’s all of a sudden a two-stroke penalty or loss of hole.
That’s quite the 180, and just another example of the Rules of Golf being confusing and penal.
Remember never to putt with an opponent’s ball anywhere near your line, and you’ll avoid these unnecessarily harsh penalty strokes.