Hi Linda,
I was playing in a match on Sunday when my opponent hit his ball. The ball then hit his bag. Does this incur a penalty stroke or is there now no penalty for hitting your own bag?
Lou from Essex
Dear Lou,
There is no longer a penalty when you hit a ball that accidentally hits you or your equipment [Rule 11.1a]. You must play the ball as it lies [Rule 11.1b].
There is an important exception to this Rule. If you hit your ball that lies on the putting green and it accidentally hits any person, animal, or movable obstruction on the putting green (including another ball in motion but excluding another ball at rest), you must cancel the stroke and replay [Rule 11.1b, Exception 2]. However, if your ball hits another ball at rest on the green, count the stroke and play your ball as it lies. In stroke play, such contact results in a two-stroke penalty; there is no penalty in match play. In either format, the ball at rest that was moved must be replaced.
Linda
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