a) By whom and where
A ball that is to be put down according to the rules must be put down by the player or his partner. If a ball is to be put down, the player, his partner or the person who picked it up or moved it must put it down at the place where it was picked up or moved. If the ball is put down or returned by another person and the mistake is not corrected as provided for in Rule 20-6, the player incurs a penalty stroke. In each of these cases, the player is responsible for any other infringement of the rules that occurs as a result of the ball being put back or returned. If a ball or a ball marker is inadvertently moved when the ball is put back or returned, the ball or ball marker must be put back. This does not incur a penalty if the movement of the ball or ball marker is directly attributable to the actual action of putting the ball back or forth or moving the ball marker. Otherwise, the player incurs a penalty stroke in accordance with Rule 18-2a or 20-1.
If a ball to be returned is placed in a position other than that from which it was picked up or moved and the error is not corrected as provided in Rule 20-6, the player incurs the basic penalty of loss of hole in stroke play or two strokes in counting play for a breach of the applicable rule.
b) Position of a ball to be put away or returned changed
If the original position of a ball to be put away or returned has been changed, then
(I) except in an obstacle, the ball must be placed in the nearest possible position to the original position, not further than one club length from the original position, not closer to the hole and not in an obstacle;
(II) in a water hazard, the ball must be placed in accordance with (I) above, but in the water hazard;
(III) in a bunker, the original position must be restored as far as possible and the ball placed in this position.
c) Position cannot be determined
If it is not possible to determine the position to which the ball is to be placed or returned, then'
(I) in the field, the ball must be dropped as close as possible to the place where it was located, but not in an obstacle or on a green;
(II) in an obstacle, the ball must be dropped in the obstacle as close as possible to the place where it was located;
(III) on the green, the ball is placed as close as possible to the place where it lay, but not in a hazard.
Exception: If play is resumed (Rule 6-8d) and the place where the ball must be placed cannot be determined, this place must be estimated and the ball must be placed in the estimated place.
d) Ball does not come to rest at the place
If a ball that has been put down does not come to rest at the place where it was put down, this is not penalized and the ball must be put back.
If it does not come to rest at that place again, it must be
(I) except in an obstacle, it must be put down at the next place where it remains at rest when put down, not closer to the hole and not in an obstacle;
(II) in an obstacle, be placed at the nearest point in the obstacle where it remains at rest when placed, not closer to the hole.
If a laid ball comes to rest in the place where it was laid and then moves, this is not a penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of another rule apply.
PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF RULES 20-1, 20-2 OR 20-3:
Hole play - Hole loss; Counting play - Two strokes.
Status: 2018