My ball got tangled in a wrapper. Can I remove it? Rules Guy

The Rules of Golf Are Complicated! Thankfully, we have the teacher. our Rules Guy knows the book inside out. Have a question? He has all the answers.

My playing partner hit a worm chip into a 3 that seemed to stop short of the green. Initially unable to locate the ball, it was eventually discovered to be resting inside a cellophane wrapper for what appeared to be a store-bought muffin. Was he allowed to remove the ball from the tee without penalty before playing the next shot? – Philip Knotts, via email

Rules Guy is a con himself, but whatever.

Here’s what should have happened there at Litterbug National: If the ball was completely inside the fairway—that is, not touching the course—the player was indeed allowed to take the ball from the fairway and hit it in a club-length area (not closer to the hole, still in the general area) based on the point directly below where the ball was at rest on the wra. See Rule 15.2a and Definition of Breakfast Pastry.

Now, if the ball were on the putting green, it would not be a drop – the player would place the ball on the spot directly below, under Rule 15.2.

Finally, if the ball were only partially inside the casing, with part of it touching the ground, i.e. not in or over the obstruction, but simply resting on it, then the procedure is simply to remove the casing and replace the ball if it moves, without penalty….

And now we are going to have breakfast.

For more tips on replacing the ball from our teacher, read on…

Player A and Player B are both near but not on the putting surface. B is farther from the hole, but A’s ball is on his preferred path. B asks A to score his ball. I know A can’t clear his ball, but can he replace it with the target line on it, lined up the way he wants it, or does he have to put it down, oriented like it was before? – Scott Puklich, Eden Prairie, Minn

The Rules of Golf can be, well, confusing.

You’re right, Scott, the ball can’t be cleared. The rules for substitution do not require the ball to be substituted in the same orientation, so a rearrangement using the line would be fine.

However, as an aside, “point” includes the vertical location of the ball in relation to the ground, which can be a problem if there is mud on the ball – you basically can’t stick the ball in a pile of mud attached to it unless it was already that way when you marked it, per Clarification 14.2c/1.

Want to find the right accessory for your bag in 2026? Find a convenient club location near you at True Spec Golf.

Have a question about the Rules? Ask Guy Rules! Send your questions, confusion and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise you won’t throw the book at you.