Photo via Yahoo Sports

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

Golf’s Rules of Golf can be a maze of nuances, and a recent query to the *Yahoo Sports* Rules Guy highlights one such tricky scenario. When a player like Jack sends their approach shot to the very lip of the cup—hanging precariously over the edge—they’re allowed a reasonable window to reach the ball and then a strict 10-second countdown to see if it topples in on its own.

This rule applies regardless of whether playing partners have finished their own putts, ensuring fairness and consistency. If the ball falls in within that 10-second limit, the stroke counts as successful.

However, if it doesn’t, the player incurs a one-stroke penalty, and the ball is retroactively considered holed with the previous shot. Should the player choose to mark the ball instead of waiting, they must replace it and either tap it in or replay the stroke without marking—adding another layer of strategy to an already delicate situation.

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