Rules Guy: I hit my ball to the edge of the cup. How long can I wait for it to fall in?

When your ball ends up on the edge of the cup, how long do you get to wait for it to fall in? Rules Guy has the answer.

By Rules Guy · Golf

Published: Tuesday, 20 October 2026 at 10:59 AM

Key Things to Know

Golfers have a reasonable time to reach an overhanging ball plus a maximum of 10 seconds to wait.
If an overhanging ball falls in after 10 seconds, one penalty stroke is added to the score.
A marked and replaced ball that falls in must be replaced and tapped in by the player.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Under the Rules of Golf, a player whose ball overhangs the cup is allowed a reasonable time to reach the ball and a maximum of 10 seconds to see if it falls in. This time limit applies regardless of whether other playing partners have reached the green yet. If the ball drops after that 10-second window, it is treated as holed with the previous stroke, but the golfer incurs a one-stroke penalty.

In a separate query, Rules Guy explains that under Rule 13.1c, players may repair damage to the hole either before or after competitors putt. However, doing so while a putt is in motion with the intent to influence the ball violates Rule 11.3, resulting in a general penalty.

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Rules Guy: I hit my ball to the edge of the cup. How long can I wait for it to fall in?

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