Earthquake moved your golf ball? Here's what the rules say to do

Written by: Alan Bastable April 7, 2024

What if a shock shook this ball inside the hole?

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The epicenter of the earthquake that shook New Jersey and its environs on Friday morning was in the northwestern part of the state, in Lebanon, about 50 miles west of New York City, according to the US Geological Survey. Fortunately, no injuries or damage to infrastructure were reported – it was just a brief, harmless roar – which frees us to think about more trivial topics, like, say, how the rules of golf handle tremors.

The Lebanon area, which suffered the brunt of the 4.8 magnitude earthquake, is populated with numerous golf courses, including the likes of High Bridge Hill, just to the northwest; Stanton Ridge, just to the southeast; Fox Hollow, Fiddler's Elbow and Trump National are all within a 10-minute drive east. Just behind Trump National is the headquarters of the US Golf Association, in the rural town of Far Hills, which is a fitting place, because that's the person we called for advice on how to proceed if the Tour was shaken out.

The first question that comes to my mind is if the hesitating ground of a stationary ball on a green vibrates and that ball falls into the hole, what will happen next? This scenario would be especially vexing if the tee came to rest 3 inches or two from the hole only for an earthquake to rock the ball to the bottom of the cup. Hole-in-one, or not?

The answer lies in Rule 9.3: “Ball Moved by Natural Forces,” which states that if natural forces such as wind, water, gravity — or, yes, even an earthquake — cause a player's stationary ball to move, there is no penalty and the ball must be played off the new. In the case of a ball that lands in the hole, that new spot marks the base of the cup, meaning the owner of the ball can actually claim the ace. Mother Nature can take, but in this case she gives generously.

Exceptions to the rule? Yes, there are a couple.

If a jolt causes your ball to move on the green after you have already lifted and replaced your ball, you must replace your ball at the place, or estimated place, from which it moved.

The second exception relates to the natural forces that move the ball on areas of the court other than the green areas, and states as follows: “If the player puts the original ball or another ball into play by dropping, placing, or replacing it, and the natural forces” – that is, our earthquake – “because the stationary ball moves If it lands in another area of ​​the field or is out of bounds, the ball must be replaced in its original place.”

The quivering grass also prompted us to consider another rule query: If, after the golfer has begun to move the ball, the movement of tectonic plates causes the ground between the golfer and the hole to crack or split, thus either diverting the golfer's ball or completely blocking his path to the hole, This is an extreme scenario, as we realize! – Will the rules provide any recourse?

No, same deal: natural forces. You have to take the hand of mother nature dealing with you.

Alan Bastable is editor of Golf.com

As Executive Editor of GOLF.com, Bastable is responsible for the editorial direction and voice of one of the game's most respected and widely read news and services sites. He wears many hats—editing, writing, thinking, developing, and daydreaming about one day turning 80—and feels honored to work with such a talented, hard-working group of writers, editors, and producers. Before taking the reins at GOLF.com, he was features editor at GOLF Magazine. A graduate of the University of Richmond and Columbia Journalism School, he lives in New Jersey with his wife and four children.

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