3 minute search rule

[Easytotilt]

The new rules when searching for a golf ball is that you have 3 minutes to search for your ball. We had a situation today where a playing parter hit his ball in the rough and we spent longer than the allocated 3 minutes finding the ball. It wasn't to much longer literally 5 mins and we found it... It was a par 4 and in a competition.

The group behind us were not on the tee box yet, and the group in front were still putting out so we weren't going anywhere. We got pulled up about it by a rules official, but our argument was that we were not affecting the pace of play as if we stopped searching at the 3 minute mark we would just be stood there catching fly's waiting for the green to clear... So my question in this situation what happens? Up to 3 minutes or when you are able to hit your next shot seems sensible to me thoughts?

 

[ManinBlack]

Are you joking?

 

[Easytotilt]

NO.. he got DQ'ed for it. He picked up his provisional and played his original ball.

 

[Imurg]

It's 3 minutes and that's that.....after 3 minutes it's officially lost.

 

[Homer]

NO.. he got DQ'ed for it. He picked up his provisional and played his original ball.

Quite correct - must have been a big competition if there was a Rules Official there?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The new rules when searching for a golf ball is that you have 3 minutes to search for your ball. We had a situation today where a playing parter hit his ball in the rough and we spent longer than the allocated 3 minutes finding the ball. It wasn't to much longer literally 5 mins and we found it... It was a par 4 and in a competition.

The group behind us were not on the tee box yet, and the group in front were still putting out so we weren't going anywhere. We got pulled up about it by a rules official, but our argument was that we were not affecting the pace of play as if we stopped searching at the 3 minute mark we would just be stood there catching fly's waiting for the green to clear... So my question in this situation what happens? Up to 3 minutes or when you are able to hit your next shot seems sensible to me thoughts?

Really? The rule is very clear and pace of play and where other people are on the course are irrelevant. If it's not found within the allotted time, it's deemed lost and the player must proceed under the rules by playing the provisional or going back to where the original shot (in this case the tee) and playing another.

 

[fundy]

So if we were playing in the last group and not holding anyone up could we search for half an hour?

 

[Easytotilt]

Just a regional one.. the annoying thing was we finished the hole and went onto the next tee a par 3. We we're waiting on the tee for them to finish the hole again... and that was the rules guy came over and disqualifed him. As we were waiting to tee off! I know 3 mins is 3 mins and they are the rules but it felt unreasonable ha

 

[Easytotilt]

Also if he finds it in this case after 3.01 the ball is deemed lost. But the process of walking back to the tee will slow the game down alot more than just hitting the ball which is right next to his feet.

 

[rosecott]

Also if he finds it in this case after 3.01 the ball is deemed lost. But the process of walking back to the tee will slow the game down alot more than just hitting the ball which is right next to his feet.

You did say he played a provisional.

 

[Easytotilt]

You did say he played a provisional.

Yeah he did. I was just playing playing devil's advocate.

 

[Crow]

Just mark him down for a birdie, that will save even more time.

 

[rosecott]

Yeah he did. I was just playing playing devil's advocate.

So then it's quite simple. He hits his tee shot into the rough. After 3 minutes search he hasn't found the ball, so, he either walks back to the tee or, if he played one, he plays his provisional. Sounds pretty straight forward. It would definitely slow play down if he had failed to play a provisional and his ball was not found within 3 minutes.

 

[jusme]

well this made me giggle.....extending your argument as it seems, why not just do what you want? It seems logic should be ok when you feel the rules are silly

 

[Kennysarmy]

Just a regional one.. the annoying thing was we finished the hole and went onto the next tee a par 3. We we're waiting on the tee for them to finish the hole again... and that was the rules guy came over and disqualifed him. As we were waiting to tee off! I know 3 mins is 3 mins and they are the rules but it felt unreasonable ha

Just out of curiosity, how many times do you think your playing partner found his ball after the old five minute RULE?

 

[ManinBlack]

This must be a wind up, surely.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

This must be a wind up, surely.

If it isn’t then it’s certianly worrying about the actual application of the rules amongst friends in official comps.

 

[User2021]

If it isn’t then it’s certianly worrying about the actual application of the rules amongst friends in official comps.

exactly

 

[rulie]

Just a regional one.. the annoying thing was we finished the hole and went onto the next tee a par 3. We we're waiting on the tee for them to finish the hole again... and that was the rules guy came over and disqualifed him. As we were waiting to tee off! I know 3 mins is 3 mins and they are the rules but it felt unreasonable ha

The player played a wrong ball. Here's what the Rules say about playing a wrong ball:
If you do not correct the mistake before making a stroke to begin another hole or, for the final hole of the round, before returning your scorecard, you are disqualified.

 

[duncan mackie]

The player played a wrong ball. Here's what the Rules say about playing a wrong ball:
If you do not correct the mistake before making a stroke to begin another hole or, for the final hole of the round, before returning your scorecard, you are disqualified.

Or, put another way, at that point the player could have returned to where his provisional ball had been and, after adding another 1 stroke penalty for picking it up (playing 5) completed the hole without being DQ.