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Substituted Ball/Wrong Ball
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15-1. General - A player must hole out with the ball played from the teeing ground unless the ball is lost or out of bounds or the player substitutes another ball,
whether or not substitution is permitted (see 15-2). If a player plays a wrong ball, see Rule 15-3.
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15-2. Substituted Ball - A player may substitute a ball when proceeding under a Rule that permits the player to play, drop or place another ball in completing the play
of a hole. The substituted ball becomes the ball in play.
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If a player substitutes a ball when not permitted to do so under the Rules, that substituted ball is not a wrong ball; it becomes the ball in play. If the mistake is not
corrected as provided in Rule 20-6 and the player makes a stroke at a wrongly substituted ball, he loses the hole in match play or incurs a penalty of two strokes in stroke
play under the applicable Rule and, in stroke play, must play out the hole with the substituted ball.
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Exception: If a player incurs a penalty for making a stroke from a wrong place, there is no additional penalty for substituting a ball when not permitted.
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(Playing from wrong place - see Rule 20-7.)
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15-3. Wrong Ball
a. Match Play
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If a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball, he loses the hole.
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If the wrong ball belongs to another player, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played.
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If the player and opponent exchange balls during the play of a hole, the first to make a stroke at a wrong ball loses the hole; when this cannot be determined, the hole must
be played out with the balls exchanged.
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Exception: There is no penalty if a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball that is moving in water in a water hazard. Any strokes made at a wrong ball moving in water in a
water hazard do not count in the player's score. The player must correct his mistake by playing the correct ball or by proceeding under the Rules.
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b. Stroke Play
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If a competitor makes a stroke or strokes at a wrong ball, he incurs a penalty of two strokes.
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The competitor must correct his mistake by playing the correct ball or by proceeding under the Rules. If he fails to correct his mistake before making a stroke on the next
teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the round, fails to declare his intention to correct his mistake before leaving the putting green, he is disqualified.
Strokes made by a competitor with a wrong ball do not count in his score. If the wrong ball belongs to another competitor, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which
the wrong ball was first played.
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Exception: There is no penalty if a competitor makes a stroke at a wrong ball that is moving in water in a water hazard. Any strokes made at a wrong ball moving in water
in a water hazard do not count in the competitor's score.
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(Lie of ball to be placed or replaced altered - see Rule 20-3b.)
(Spot not determinable - see Rule 20-3c.)
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| Previous Rules Articles |
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Unplayable Ball |
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Water Hazards |
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Out Of Bounds/Lost Ball |
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Match Play Golf |
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Substituted Ball/Wrong Ball |
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| To read up on all of the latest USGA rules, visit the USGA website. |