What should a player do if their ball comes to rest out of bounds after an encounter with a maintenance vehicle?

If a player’s ball comes to rest out of bounds after encountering a maintenance vehicle, the correct course of action involves retrieving the ball. When a player's shot hits a maintenance vehicle, they are granted relief according to the Rules of Golf as maintenance vehicles are considered "movable obstructions."

The player can take free relief by retrieving the ball from the area where it lies out of bounds and can then drop the ball within one club length of the nearest point of relief that is not closer to the hole from the point where the ball last crossed the boundary line. This option allows them to continue play without incurring a penalty while addressing the unique situation caused by the maintenance vehicle.

The first choice, playing another ball from the tee, would be a misinterpretation because the player should not return to the tee unless they have incurred a penalty. Playing from where the ball ended up is also incorrect, as the ball is out of bounds, and the player cannot play from that location. Lastly, returning to the last point in play to stroke again applies to scenarios involving penalties such as lost balls, but not in the case of a ball being out of bounds due to interference from a movable obstruction. Thus, retrieving the ball is clearly the correct approach in