How Golf's Natural Forces Rule Works Explainer
Golf's natural-forces rule covers movement caused by wind, water, or gravity. When those forces move a ball at rest, there is normally no penalty and the player plays it from the new spot. Natural forces are also the default explanation when no person, animal, or other outside influence is known or virtually certain to have caused movement.
The putting green has an important exception. If the ball was already marked, lifted, and replaced on its original spot, it owns that spot. If wind or gravity then moves it, the player replaces it on the original location rather than playing from the new one.
A second exception applies after relief. When a properly dropped or placed ball has come to rest in its relief area and natural forces later move it into a different area of the course or out of bounds, the ball must be replaced. Movement elsewhere within the same area is generally played as it lies.
Correct procedure starts with identifying the cause under the known-or-virtually-certain standard. If a player, opponent, or outside influence caused the movement, another rule may require replacement and possibly a penalty. If nature caused it, the general no-penalty rule applies unless one of the specific replacement exceptions controls.
Normally no. The ball is usually played from its new spot.
It must be returned to its original spot if natural forces move it afterward.
Wind, water, gravity, or unexplained movement not known or virtually certain to have another cause.
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