Bald Eagle Moves Ball at Rest

[RickM71]

Sorry if this is off topic, but what's the ruling here:

 

 

[DaveP043]

  On 4/21/2025 at 1:06 AM, RickM71 said:

Sorry if this is off topic, but what's the ruling here:

 

 

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Looks like a ball at rest moved by an outside influence.  Replace the ball on the spot, estimate the spot if its not known.  Rule 9.6.  If the original ball isn't immediately available, use another ball.

[p1n9183]

This happens all the time at my home course. We have a certain type of bird that eat the eggs and newborns of another type of bird. Sometimes they confuse golf balls with this eggs so they pick them up and fly away. Off course we are allowed to put another ball in play without penalty were we think the stolen ball was originally resting.     

[DaveP043]

  On 4/22/2025 at 5:31 PM, p1n9183 said:

This happens all the time at my home course. We have a certain type of bird that eat the eggs and newborns of another type of bird. Sometimes they confuse golf balls with this eggs so they pick them up and fly away. Off course we are allowed to put another ball in play without penalty were we think the stolen ball was originally resting.     

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I once had my ball picked up and taken away by a fox on the first fairway, in an interclub match.  Apparently its a pretty common occurrence, we all knew how to handle it.