What if Moving an Obstruction Causes the Ball to Move

If you’re ever playing a round of golf and you find that your ball lies on or against an obstruction you are allowed to move the obstruction out of your way. But what if the ball moves when you move the obstruction?

If you move the obstruction and doing so causes the ball to move you can replace the ball back in it’s original spot without incurring any penalty strokes.

This can be common near bunkers where you land your ball up against a rake. Possibly the rake stopped your ball from going into the bunker which is great but your playing partners see it as a lucky break and can’t wait for you to move the rake so your ball goes where it rightfully should have. In the bunker.

However, you are allowed to move the rake and if the ball rolls down into the bunker, or moves at all, you can, without penalty, replace the ball where it was originally before moving the rake.

Then you can turn to your playing partners and tell them you meant to do that, although this isn’t suggested.