What happens if a golf ball hits the Spidercam or even a drone at the 2025 British Open?

The R&A unveiled some new technology at the 2025 British Open.

OK, it's not new new, but it is new to golf. It's the Spidercam, previously seen at football, soccer and rugby events. Now, it's been brought to the golf course for the first time.

The camera is suspended by cables over the action on the 18th hole at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland and will provide some amazing angles and close-ups of the players and the shots they hit.

"Suspended above the 18th green, spectacular aerial views and unique angles will bring to life the natural undulations of the hole and short shots around the green before the greatest walk in golf is captured as the Champion Golfer of the Year is crowned on Sunday," says the R&A.

What happens if a golf ball hits the Spidercam?

The R&A posted its local rules and added a second document for "additional local rules. Item No. 4 on that document says:

If it is known or virtually certain that a player's ball that is in bounds has hit the spider camera or wires or a drone in flight, the player must replay the stroke. If the player replays the stroke but does so from a wrong place, the player gets the general penalty under Rule 14.7. If the player does not replay the stroke, they get the general penalty and the stroke counts, but the player has not played from a wrong place.

What happens if a golf ball hits a drone?

So you can see the R&A covered the possibility of a golfer hitting the Spidercam or even the Spidercam wires but also a "drone in flight", which seems highly unlikely, considering how high the drones fly.

But it does kind of remind you of punters and that giant video board at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: British Open Championship 2025: What happens if golf ball hits Spidercam?