Does a golfer have to look for a lost golf ball?
Dear Golfers, I have gotten a ton of questions on golf rules the last few weeks. I know that the last post was also on a ruling, so just bear with us as I am trying to respond to as many of the questions that come in in the order received.
During a match play tourney event today, I hit my second shot on a Par 4 far left and into heavy brush/bushes. I was told it was out of bounds, so I dropped another golf ball from the same spot. I hit the ball and put it on the green, where I was now I was now sitting at four.
Several people decided to look in the bushes for the ball but I told them that I was abandoning that golf ball and would play the ball on the green. I was told that I had to attempt to locate the original golf ball or identify a ball found in the bushes. If mine, they said that I must play that golf ball after a penalty drop. Do I have to play that "lost" ball or could I ball the ball on the green?
This is a golf rule that a lot of golfers get confused about. And reading the rules of golf on this one takes a little thinking through. I can’t say for sure who is right based on what you told me, but here is how I read the rules.
You cannot just abandon the ball that you hit into the heavy brush because you think that it’s out of bounds. However, you can declare that ball unplayable and drop and hit from the original spot. In this case you are not playing a provisional ball because you have declared your golf ball unplayable immediately. This is from Decision 28/1 under Rule 28.
Now if you called the second shot a provisional ball, then you would have to attempt to locate the first shot and have it either not found or declare it unplayable when you found it.
So you could play the shot that ended up on the green under two conditions. One, you called the second ball that you hit from the original spot a provisional ball and the original ball was lost or out of bounds. This is under Rule 27. Or, two, you declared it unplayable immediately and did not call the second ball a provisional.
It’s a little confusing, but I hope that this helps.
Slight correction on your ruling. If you find the ball and declare it unplayable, you must go back and rehit, you cannot proceed to hit the ball that you hit as the provisional. Simply put, if you find your original, your provisional is dead.
Posted by: Nolan Matthias at September 18, 2007 12:41 AMNolan,
You are correct. I have corrected the above post to avoid more confusion, but you caught that mistake on my part and thank you.
The Golf Nut
Posted by: The Golf Nut at September 18, 2007 06:12 AMMy Pleasure.
Thanks for your comments on my blog as well.
The interesting part of the whole thing is that if you decide to abandon your first ball, your competitor can still go find it in order to render your provisional dead. Of course it has to be withing the 5 minute time limit.
Nolan
Posted by: Nolan Matthias at September 20, 2007 01:06 AMI was under the impression that if you hit a second ball off the tee and don't declare a provisional, then your first shot is deemed to be lost and even if you did find it, you'd still have to play the second shot.
Posted by: Eric G. at September 25, 2007 03:01 PMWe all know you cant search for more than 5 minutes but is there a minimum time you have to look? In other words can you take one look in the bushes and think 'I would rather not find it' go to your provisional ball and play it. Your opponent may want to find it, what say does he have? Been searching everywhere for the answer -hope you can help!
Posted by: Jeremy Lander at October 18, 2007 02:54 AMIf my opponent plays a ball and declares it lost, plays a provisional and I then find the original ball does he have to play it or is the provisional ball the ball in play?
AM
Posted by: audrey at February 3, 2008 06:06 PMIf my opponent plays a ball and declares it lost, plays a provisional and I then find the original ball does he have to play it or is the provisional ball the ball in play?
AM
Posted by: audrey at February 3, 2008 06:07 PM
