Rules · Tip
Replacing Your Ball When the Lie Changed
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Under Rule 14.2, put a lifted ball back by hand on its original spot. Estimate the spot if you don't know it. If the lie was spoiled in a bunker, recreate it as closely as you can. If it was covered, you can leave a little showing. Elsewhere, find the closest spot that matches the old lie best, inside one club-length, no nearer the hole, in that same part of the course. If the ball won't stay put after two tries, use the closest place it will sit still.
Step by step
- Replace by hand on the original spot.
- In sand, rebuild the lie.
- Elsewhere, find the most similar lie nearby.
- Never closer to the hole.
- Won't stay? Two tries, then the nearest spot.
Why it works
The rule keeps your ball in the same position it held before you lifted it, so lifting it gives you no gain. Putting the ball on the original spot keeps the same distance, line and lie. When the lie has changed, the closest matching spot nearby restores the same conditions as nearly as possible, and the no-nearer-the-hole limit stops you improving your position.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the ball instead of placing it by hand.Hold the ball and set it down on the spot by hand, as the rule says.
- Rebuilding a bunker lie into something better than the original.Recreate only what was there before, such as the same depth in the sand, and do not smooth it out.
- Choosing a nearby spot that is closer to the hole or in a different part of the course.Measure within one club-length, keep to the same part of the course, and pick a spot no nearer the hole that matches the old lie best.
How you'll know it's working
- You can point to the original spot, or give a fair estimate of it, before you put the ball down.
- The ball sits in the same way as before, with the same amount of grass or sand around and under it.
- After two tries on a spot where the ball won't stay put, you place it on the nearest spot where it sits still, and it is no nearer the hole.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Mark the spot with a coin or tee and note how the ball sat before you lift it, so the replacement is simple.
Harder: Practice on a slope, in thick rough or in a bunker, where the lie is harder to match and the ball may not stay put.
Common questions
What if I don't know exactly where my ball was before I lifted it?
You estimate the spot as well as you can and place the ball there by hand. A fair, honest estimate is what the rule asks for.
What do I do if the ball keeps rolling when I place it?
Try placing it a second time on the same spot. If it still won't stay, place it on the nearest spot where it will sit still, no nearer the hole.
