Is it a penalty if your ball goes out of bounds?
By The Fairway Labs TeamReviewed
Off the tee & lost balls
Penalty: Stroke and distance
Is it a penalty if your ball goes out of bounds?
PenaltyStroke and distance· under Rule 18
What to do
- 1Confirm the ball is out of bounds (fully past the boundary line).
- 2Add one penalty stroke to your score.
- 3Return to the spot of your previous shot and play again from there.
- 4If you announced a provisional before searching, that ball is now in play.
Based on the modern Rules of Golf (Rule 18), as published by the USGA and The R&A and effective from the 2019 revision. Local rules can modify some situations — check the scorecard or with the committee when in doubt.
Related rulings
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