There is no penalty if the player's ball is accidentally moved by the player, opponent or anyone else while trying to find or identify it. But if the player causes the ball to move before they start to search for the ball, the player gets one penalty stroke under Rule 9.4b.

Under this Rule, "accidentally" includes when the ball is moved by anyone taking reasonable actions to find the ball that were likely to reveal the ball's location by moving it (such as by sweeping feet through long grass or shaking a tree).

In these situations, the ball must be replaced on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated) (See Rule 14.2). In doing so:

• If the ball was on, under or against any immovable obstruction, integral object, boundary object or growing or attached natural object, the ball must be replaced on its original spot on, under or against such object (See Rule 14.2c).
• If the ball was covered by sand, the original lie must be re-created and the ball must be replaced in that lie (See Rule 14.2d(1)). But the player may leave a small part of the ball visible when doing so.

See also Rule 15.1a (restriction on deliberately removing certain loose impediments before replacing ball).

Penalty for Breach of Rule 7.4: General Penalty.

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