Ball moved on the green — no penalty, but replace it
If you accidentally move your ball on the green, there's no penalty — just replace it. If wind moves it after you marked and replaced, you must replace it again.
What happens if your ball moves on the green?
If you accidentally move your ball on the green, there's no penalty — just replace it on the original spot, under Rule 13.1d. This applies if you, your partner, or your equipment moved it.
If wind or water moves the ball, the rule is different: play it from where it came to rest, unless you already marked and replaced it — then you must replace it again.
Is it a penalty if you accidentally move your ball?
No. Since the 2019 rules change, there's no penalty for accidentally moving your ball on the green. Before 2019, it was a one-stroke penalty — that's gone.
| Who moved the ball? | Penalty? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| You, your partner, or your equipment | No penalty | Replace the ball on the original spot |
| Wind or water (before you marked it) | No penalty | Play it from the new spot |
| Wind or water (after you marked and replaced it) | No penalty | Replace it again on the original spot |
| An outside influence (spectator, animal, etc.) | No penalty | Replace the ball on the original spot |
What if wind moves your ball on the green?
The Morikawa/Bradley situation
If wind moves your ball before you mark it, play it from where it came to rest — no penalty. But if you already marked and replaced the ball, and then wind moves it, you must replace it again on the original spot.
This is the rule that tripped up Collin Morikawa and Keegan Bradley at the 2025 Masters. After marking and replacing, wind moved their balls. They played from the new spots — and got penalized for playing from the wrong place. The lesson: if you've already marked and replaced, and wind moves it, put it back.
Do you have to mark your ball on the green?
You're not required to mark your ball on the green, but it's strongly recommended. If you don't mark it and someone accidentally moves it, you still replace it — but marking prevents confusion and potential penalties in other situations (like if the ball moves after you've addressed it off the green).
What if you're not sure where the ball was?
If you're not sure of the exact spot where the ball was, estimate the spot and place the ball there. If it was on the green, you can place it rather than drop. If it was off the green, you must drop it (unless it was moved by an outside influence, in which case you place it).
Keep this in your bag
Ball-moved-on-green is one of the most confusing rules in golf. Our Save Strokes reference has the full set of penalty and relief situations organized for quick mid-round lookups — plus a free version in the Drop Rules Cheat Sheet.
Related: what if wind moves your ball and the drop procedure.
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