34. INTERFERENCE WITH THE PLAYING OF A STROKE

1. INTERFERENCE BY THE ADVERSARY OR AN OUTSIDE AGENCY If the outcome of a stroke is materially affected because:
   1. the adversary forestalled play in breach of Law 23(d); or
   2. the striker, the court or the equipment, other than balls, was touched by the adversary or an outside agency
   and the interference is discovered before the next stroke, the same stroke is replayed after replacing the balls in their lawful positions before the stroke was played. Exceptional cases may be dealt with under Law 55.
2. FIXED OBSTACLES AND CHANGES OF LEVEL Subject to Laws 34(e) and 48(c)(1) (consulting the adversary), if any fixed obstacle or change of level outside the court is likely to interfere with the playing of the next stroke, the striker may move the striker's ball no more than is necessary to allow a normal stance and a free swing of the mallet.
3. SPECIAL DAMAGE Subject to Laws 34(e) and 48(c)(1), if special damage to the court is likely to interfere with the playing of the next stroke, the striker may move any ball so affected no more than is necessary to avoid the damage and never to his advantage. As an alternative to moving a ball, the players may agree to repair the damage before play continues. Examples of special damage include a hole on a corner spot, an unrepaired or imperfectly repaired divot, hoop hole or peg hole, or a protruding tree root or sprinkler head. The normal hazards of an indifferent court, including a wear hole in a hoop, are not special damage.
4. LOOSE IMPEDIMENTS Loose impediments are small items such as worm casts, twigs, leaves, nuts, refuse and similar material which may be removed by the striker at any time and must be removed if they are likely to benefit the striker in the stroke about to be played. Subject to Law 7(b), loose impediments are not outside agencies.
5. MOVING OTHER BALLS When a ball is moved under Laws 34(b) or 34(c), the striker must also move any other ball that could foreseeably be affected by the next stroke so as to maintain their relative positions. However, a ball in a critical position should only be moved to avoid inequity. Any ball so moved, which has not been affected by subsequent play, must be replaced as near as possible to its original position as soon as it is no longer relevant to the striker's line of play or, if earlier, when his turn ends.