NCG’s Golf Glossary: What is an outside agency?

This entry of the NCG Golf Glossary takes a look at what an outside agency is and how it can affect your game of golf.

This isn’t something that happens too often on the course, but when they does, it can cause disastrous results. But can you take your shot again?

Here at National Club Golfer, we’re the publication for the everyday player. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to give you a step-by-step introduction to the wonderful world of the golfing lexicon.

What is an outside agency?

The dictionary definition in golf is as follows:

’Any object or person who is not a player or caddie in a particular match, or the ball or equipment of those players. Outside agencies include: referees, markers, observers, forecaddies or spectators. Neither wind nor water is an outside agency.’

What constitutes an an outside agency?

It is literally anything apart from any player, equipment, ball or caddie of either side during a game.

Squirrels, feathers, clubs left behind by other players, cars, cats and dogs falling from the sky, all these and more.

What happens when one interferes with your ball?

If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced.

If the ball is moving, and it strikes an outside influence – such as a club left by another player – then it’s considered bad luck and you can’t take your shot again.

The exception to this rule is if you are on the green. If your ball is rolling towards the hole and an outside agency interferes with it – say a leaf falling from a tree – then you can retake your stroke.

The R&A rules also go on to say that it must be known or virtually certain that an outside influence has moved the ball. In the absence of such knowledge, the player must play the ball as it lies.

What are your thoughts on outside agencies? Has this ever happened to you during a round? Let us know if it has with a post on X, formerly Twitter!