The wind moved your ball — — play it where it stops
Wind is a natural force: if it moves your ball at rest, play from the new spot with no penalty and no replacement. You only replace when you or another player cause the move.
Does wind moving your ball cost a penalty?
No — if the wind moves your ball at rest, play it from where it ends up. No penalty, and you don't replace it (Rule 9.3).
Wind and gravity are "natural forces" under the rules. If your ball was at rest and the wind blows it to a new spot — even a worse one — you play it from the new spot. The same goes for water carrying it away or gravity pulling it downhill.
Ball moved by wind on the putting green
The same rule applies on the putting green: wind moves the ball, play it from the new spot. The one difference: if wind blows your ball closer to or farther from the hole while you're addressing it or after a stroke, you still play it from where it ends up.
Ball moved by you vs. by the wind
| Who/what moved it | Result |
|---|---|
| Wind, water, gravity (natural forces) | Play from the new spot — no penalty |
| You accidentally (outside putting green, searching) | Replace it — no penalty (Rule 9.4) |
| You accidentally on the putting green | Replace it — no penalty (Rule 13.1d) |
| Another player or caddie | Replace it — no penalty |
When you're NOT responsible
Natural forces are never your fault
Since 2019, you're only penalized for causing your ball to move when it's "virtually certain" you did so. A gust of wind, a roll downhill, or water moving your ball is always natural-force — play it from the new spot, no penalty, no replacement.
Related rules
Ball-movement rules pair with flagstick rules (holed balls) and drop procedures. For every mid-round situation, see the free cheat sheet or Save Strokes.
Get Save Strokes → Free cheat sheet