Find the concession before watching the roll
R&A Rule 3 makes a clearly communicated match-play concession final. It cannot be withdrawn or declined. A later attempt at the conceded putt therefore does not turn its result back into an undecided competitive stroke.
Imagine a player lying three beside the hole. The opponent clearly concedes the next stroke. The player then rolls the ball and misses while the camera is still watching. Counting that miss as a fresh competitive outcome ignores the earlier concession. The useful replay begins with the opponent’s words or gesture, not the putter’s movement.
Separate clear communication from assumption
A player walking away is not automatically evidence that a concession was given. The intent must be clear. A crowded broadcast sound mix can hide the exchange, so the programme’s later explanation may resolve something the first camera angle could not.
This is why the same image of a short missed putt can have different meanings in different sequences. It may be a live attempt, an action after a concession or a misunderstanding needing correction. Identify which event occurred before using the ball’s final position to recalculate the hole. The rule supplies the concession’s effect; the invented example shows how to read its timing.
Questions answered
Can a clear concession be taken back after a miss?
No. It is final.
Does this describe ordinary individual stroke play?
No. Concessions are a match-play procedure.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.