Rules question · Rule 9.4b · Hard
Stepped on my visible ball and pushed it into the ground: what now?
Your ball lies in plain view on the fairway. While walking to it, you accidentally step on it and push it into the ground. What is the ruling?
Answer
One penalty stroke, and you place the ball on the nearest spot with the most similar lie, within one club-length
Your ball lies in plain view, so you are not searching for it. If you accidentally move it, you get one penalty stroke. It is not embedded, because it is not in its own pitch-mark made by your stroke. As the lie has been altered, you do not replace it in the indentation but place it on the nearest spot with the most similar lie: within one club-length, not nearer the hole and in the general area.