Wrong Ball
Also known as: wrong ball, hitting the wrong ball, hit the wrong ball, played the wrong ball, playing a wrong ball, wrong ball penalty, hit someone else's ball, hit my friend's ball, hit my partner's ball, played my partner's ball
Hitting a wrong ball, any ball other than your ball in play, costs two penalty strokes in stroke play. In match play you lose the hole. In stroke play the strokes with the wrong ball don't count; go back and play your own ball. If you don't correct it before teeing off on the next hole, or before returning your card after the last, you are disqualified.
A wrong ball is any ball other than your ball in play. Your provisional ball, before you abandon it, is not a wrong ball. Neither is a second ball played under certain stroke-play Rules. The Rules give examples: another player's ball, a stray ball, or your own ball once it is lost or out of bounds. Your own ball that has been lifted and not yet put back in play also counts. Rule 6.3c says you must not make a stroke at a wrong ball.
The penalty is the general penalty. In stroke play that is two strokes. The stroke made with the wrong ball, and any more strokes before you correct the mistake, don't count. You correct it by continuing with your original ball, playing it as it lies or taking relief under the Rules. If you don't correct it before starting another hole, you are disqualified. On the final hole, the deadline is returning your scorecard. In match play you lose the hole. If players exchanged balls, the first to play a wrong ball loses the hole.
There is one exception. There is no penalty for a stroke at a wrong ball moving in water in a penalty area or in temporary water. If another player hits your ball by mistake, place your original ball or another ball on the spot where it was.
The simple way to avoid all this is an identifying mark on your ball, as Rule 6.3a advises. Check it before every shot, especially in the rough or when two balls finish close together.
Tips by skill level
Draw a simple mark, like a dot or initials, on every ball you play, and look for it before each shot.
To identify a ball in the rough, you may mark its spot, lift it and check it. Clean it only as much as needed, then replace it.
Example
Two balls of the same brand finish near each other in the rough. A golfer hits one without checking and finds it is his partner's. In stroke play he adds two penalty strokes, doesn't count the stroke he made, and walks back to play his own ball.
Why it matters
Wrong balls are easy to play when balls look alike, and failing to correct the mistake leads to disqualification. A personal mark on your ball prevents it almost entirely.
Common mistakes
- Playing a ball that looks like yours without checking your mark
- Counting the strokes made with the wrong ball in your score
- Continuing the hole with the wrong ball instead of going back to your own
- Not correcting the mistake before teeing off on the next hole
Frequently asked questions
What's the penalty for hitting the wrong ball?
Two penalty strokes in stroke play, or loss of the hole in match play. In stroke play the strokes with the wrong ball don't count, and you must go back and play your own ball.
What happens if I hit my friend's ball by mistake?
In stroke play you take two penalty strokes and play your own ball; the strokes with the wrong ball don't count. The other player places a ball on the spot where theirs was.
What happens if I don't correct a wrong ball?
In stroke play you are disqualified if you don't correct it before teeing off on the next hole. On the last hole, the deadline is returning your card.
Sources
Related terms
- Lost BallA ball is officially lost if it isn't found within three minutes after the player or their caddie begins to search for it. Once that window closes, the golfer must take stroke-and-distance relief, replaying the shot from its original spot plus a one-stroke penalty.
- Provisional BallA provisional ball is a backup shot played immediately when the original might be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds. It saves the group from having to walk all the way back to the tee if the first ball genuinely can't be found.
- Out of BoundsOut of bounds (OB) is past the course boundary, usually marked by white stakes. A ball hit there is replayed from the original spot with a one-stroke penalty.
- Golf EtiquetteGolf etiquette comes down to safety, pace and care of the course. Wait until the group ahead is out of range, shout 'fore' if your ball heads toward anyone, and keep up with the group in front. Repair ball marks, replace or fill divots and rake bunkers after you play from them.
- Match Play vs Stroke PlayStroke play scores every shot across the whole round for a cumulative total. Match play scores hole by hole, awarding each hole to whoever takes fewer strokes on it. So a single bad hole only costs one point, not a pile of extra strokes.
- Loose ImpedimentsLoose impediments are unattached natural objects such as leaves, twigs, stones and loose grass, and you may move them without penalty. That applies anywhere on the course, including bunkers and penalty areas. But if moving one makes your ball move, you get one penalty stroke and must replace the ball. The exception is a ball on the putting green or teeing area, where there is no penalty.
Related guides & benchmarks
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