Rules question · Rule 18.2a · Expert
Water carries my ball out of bounds: what now?
Your ball rolls into a stream, a red penalty area. The current carries it under the boundary fence, and it comes to rest beyond the boundary. What is the ruling?
Answer
It is out of bounds, and you must take stroke-and-distance relief
What matters is where the ball comes to rest. If it is out of bounds, you must take stroke-and-distance relief, even if it was in the penalty area before. Flowing water is a natural force like wind, so you may not replace the ball.