What should a golfer do if another golfer's ball hits them?

In professional golf tournaments around the world, it's quite common for a golfer's ball to hit a spectator. So, what should you do if that happens during a casual round of golf?

Scenario: On the green, a golfer has just finished putting and is waiting for their playing partner with their hands clasped behind their back. Suddenly, a ball from another group flies in and lands between the golfer's hands. The golfer decides to drop the ball straight down to the ground and walk away. Is this the correct action to take?

It was probably a shank that sent the ball from this fairway all the way to the green of the next hole. That's quite a rare occurrence.

Under the Rules of Golf in this situation, the golfer who dropped the ball did not commit a violation. When a ball accidentally strikes a person, there is no penalty, and the ball is simply replaced as nearly as possible to its original position, as per Rule 11.1.

For a golfer who hits their ball onto the wrong green, they are not permitted to take their next stroke on that green. Instead, they must take relief without penalty by dropping a ball outside the green, as per Rule 13.1f.

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