Rules · Tip
Ball on the Lip: How Long Can You Wait?
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Your putt stops on the edge of the hole. Rule 13.3 gives you a fair amount of time to walk up. Then you get ten more seconds. If it falls in during that time, it counts as holed with your last stroke. After ten seconds, the ball is treated as stopped. If it falls in after that, before you hit it, it still counts as holed. But you add one penalty stroke. So walk up at a normal pace and don't stall.
Step by step
- Walk to the hole at a normal pace.
- Wait up to ten seconds.
- Drops in time? Holed with your last stroke.
- After that it's treated as stopped.
- Falls in later? Add one stroke.
Why it works
Rule 13.3 lets you walk to the hole without rushing, then gives you ten more seconds to see if a ball on the lip drops. A ball can still be moving slightly from the roll, a settling grain, or a gust of wind. The rule sets a fixed window so play stays fair and does not stall. Once the window ends, the ball counts as at rest, so a later fall gets a penalty stroke.
Common mistakes
- You walk slowly to the hole to give the ball more time to fall.Walk at a normal pace, because the extra time is only fair if you do not stall.
- You keep waiting past the ten seconds and hope the ball drops.Count the ten seconds from when you reach the hole, and treat the ball as stopped when they end.
- You forget the penalty when the ball falls after the ten seconds.Add one penalty stroke to your score, because the ball counts as holed with the extra stroke included.
How you'll know it's working
- You walk up at the same pace you use for any other putt.
- You can say when your ten seconds began and when they ended.
- You record the right score: last stroke if it fell in time, or one extra stroke if it fell later.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice with a friend who counts ten seconds out loud once you reach the hole.
Harder: Play a round where you count the ten seconds yourself at every hole-side stop, with no one prompting you.
Common questions
How long do you have to wait for a ball on the edge of the hole?
You get a reasonable time to walk to the hole, then up to ten more seconds to see if the ball falls. After that the ball is treated as stopped.
What is the penalty if the ball falls in after the ten seconds?
The ball counts as holed, but you add one penalty stroke to your score. This applies if it drops before you play it.
