What happens when your ball moves when you remove a loose
impediment? The answer depends on where your ball lies:
Putting green: There
is no penalty, assuming the movement of the ball is directly
attributable to the movement of the loose impediment. The ball must be replaced
[Rule 23-1]. If the ball is not replaced, the penalty is two strokes/loss of
hole.
Anywhere except a
putting green or a hazard: There is a one-stroke penalty for moving the
ball in play. If the ball is not replaced, the penalty increases to two
strokes/loss of hole [Rule 18-2].
Hazard (bunker or
water hazard): There is a two-stroke/loss-of-hole penalty for touching
or moving a loose impediment in a hazard. The ball must be replaced if
moved [Rule 13-4c].
