• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

3 minutes to find ball

Orikoru said:
I've covered several times why I wouldn't bother with a stopwatch, one of them was in the very post you quoted, so I'm not saying it all again. Think we've been around in enough circles already.
Click to expand...

So, you carry your phone on the course, you are only responsible for timing your own search and nobody else's, you can download an app to give minutes AND seconds so you know you're within the time limit according to the rules, but choose to guesstimate your search time in competitions ?
 
chrisd said:
So, you carry your phone on the course, you are only responsible for timing your own search and nobody else's, you can download an app to give minutes AND seconds so you know you're within the time limit according to the rules, but choose to guesstimate your search time in competitions ?
Click to expand...
Yes. Because that's good enough for me and the vast majority of golfers. I choose to focus on actually finding the ball instead of dicking about with my phone, and if I don't find it in a couple of minutes that's that. Move on.

I'm surprised you're advocating the use of phones on the course actually, seems like something you'd be against, along with black socks and changing your shoes in the car park.
 
Orikoru said:
Yes. Because that's good enough for me and the vast majority of golfers. I choose to focus on actually finding the ball instead of dicking about with my phone, and if I don't find it in a couple of minutes that's that. Move on.

I'm surprised you're advocating the use of phones on the course actually, seems like something you'd be against, along with black socks and changing your shoes in the car park.
Click to expand...

I do wear black socks and ALWAYS change my shoes in the car park
 
Another point anyway, even if I were going to set a stopwatch on myself, when do you start it? When I'm walking towards the area my ball was in I'm already having a cursory glance from distance to see if it jumps out at me, as I'm sure most people would. So from what vicinity do I start it? When the area is in my field of vision but I could be 50 yards away? When I'm 5 yards away? If I start the timer when I arrive and put my trolley break on, technically I've already been glancing over the area on my way up so that makes me a cheat in yours eyes as well.
 
Orikoru said:
Another point anyway, even if I were going to set a stopwatch on myself, when do you start it? When I'm walking towards the area my ball was in I'm already having a cursory glance from distance to see if it jumps out at me, as I'm sure most people would. So from what vicinity do I start it? When the area is in my field of vision but I could be 50 yards away? When I'm 5 yards away? If I start the timer when I arrive and put my trolley break on, technically I've already been glancing over the area on my way up so that makes me a cheat in yours eyes as well.
Click to expand...


Why not read the Rules it'll all become clear
 
In all the time I've played social golf and 18 months at a club I've never had anyone pull out a stop watch on me, think I'd crack up laughing if they did. I know some take the game far more serious than me and look to the last second on finding a ball but I don't think I've ever been in a situation where someone hasn't given up after a minute or 2 when looking for a ball.

I played on a moorland course where to rough was rough as hell at times and the members I've played with knew that if you hit the rough rough the ball was a goner and accepted it, if it was just in and/or saw the line in then yes have a look but as above they'd only look for so long.
 
chrisd said:
So, you carry your phone on the course, you are only responsible for timing your own search and nobody else's, you can download an app to give minutes AND seconds so you know you're within the time limit according to the rules, but choose to guesstimate your search time in competitions ?
Click to expand...

Maybe this is where I'm going wrong, within the Rules I didn't believe there was any responsibility for me to time my search :unsure:
 
Marshy77 said:
In all the time I've played social golf and 18 months at a club I've never had anyone pull out a stop watch on me, think I'd crack up laughing if they did. I know some take the game far more serious than me and look to the last second on finding a ball but I don't think I've ever been in a situation where someone hasn't given up after a minute or 2 when looking for a ball.

I played on a moorland course where to rough was rough as hell at times and the members I've played with knew that if you hit the rough rough the ball was a goner and accepted it, if it was just in and/or saw the line in then yes have a look but as above they'd only look for so long.
Click to expand...
I've tried explaining it, but I'm afraid in the eyes of chrisd you are now a cheat.
 
Marshy77 said:
In all the time I've played social golf and 18 months at a club I've never had anyone pull out a stop watch on me, think I'd crack up laughing if they did. I know some take the game far more serious than me and look to the last second on finding a ball but I don't think I've ever been in a situation where someone hasn't given up after a minute or 2 when looking for a ball.

I played on a moorland course where to rough was rough as hell at times and the members I've played with knew that if you hit the rough rough the ball was a goner and accepted it, if it was just in and/or saw the line in then yes have a look but as above they'd only look for so long.
Click to expand...
Uh oh we've got a another fast and loose one here boys... Get your tin hat on Marshy and prepare for the cheat bombs to be dropped...

Slab said:
Maybe this is where I'm going wrong, within the Rules I didn't believe there was any responsibility for me to time my search :unsure:
Click to expand...
Which is the question I've asked all along it doesn't state you're responsible to or must time it🤔 instead of giving an answer were just called cheats and have questionable character....
 
Colin L said:
That's all right. You can always ask questions in this forum of those of us who have read them all, studied them all, passed exams in them all and who can help you in your knowleldge and understanding.;)
Click to expand...
I bet if you had your way every single one of us would have to pass an exam before getting out on the course.
 
Slab said:
Maybe this is where I'm going wrong, within the Rules I didn't believe there was any responsibility for me to time my search :unsure:
Click to expand...
The rules don't specifically identify anyone but given the definition, who else would you charge with the responsibility of knowing when your ball is lost and no longer playable?

Lost Ball
The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after the player or his or her caddie (or the player’s partner or partner’s caddie) begins to search for it.
 
rulefan said:
The rules don't specifically identify anyone but given the definition, who else would you charge with the responsibility of knowing when your ball is lost and no longer playable?

Lost Ball
The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after the player or his or her caddie (or the player’s partner or partner’s caddie) begins to search for it.
Click to expand...

Its clear I shouldn't play a ball if found after three minutes, its still not clear where the instruction is that the 3 minute period must be timed
 
rulefan said:
The rules don't specifically identify anyone but given the definition, who else would you charge with the responsibility of knowing when your ball is lost and no longer playable?

Lost Ball
The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after the player or his or her caddie (or the player’s partner or partner’s caddie) begins to search for it.
Click to expand...

Yeah we know the definition nobody has at any point queried that.. In fact everyone has agreed with it and said its a good thing. All that's been done is questions asked about how to time it when generally most golfers don't time it (generalisation as clearly we know from this thread forumers come armed with watches, stop watches, egg times and sundials)

It's even been mentioned in some cases where even timing it can be ambiguous depending on your method of doing so. Yet instead of sensible debate as to perhaps the rules could clarify you must use a device to time said search, people would rather say others are cheats etc. If these people are so passionate about timing devices why do they play in club comps knowing the majority of others in there eyes are cheating them in their words..

It's even been pointed out someone here plays with R&A official that helps at the open and Am yet he doesn't use a timer...

All anyone wanted was an answer to to ambiguity of it. Yes there is the coomin sense approach but still people play on trust in the most part.

We've even had someone say we shouldn't be questioning rules in the rules forum we should just accept it..

Yet below is a pasted copy of the heading page for the GM forum, that's states to discuss and question but god. Forbid anyone questions the rules..

Rules of Golf
Post thread
A place to discuss the Rules of Golf and post questions and queries about the rules. GM's in house rules experts are here to help

Read more at https://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/forums/rules-of-golf.21/#yKBw3HzE8mKeGVD7.99

This reply BTW is by no means a dig at you rulefan as your response generally always help with clarity, it's merely a response to how some golfers feel we shouldn't raise questions against the order of things. But without doing so changes don't occur.

Seems it's easier to keep posting the ruling wording or to make accusations that everyone is a cheat than it is to come to a common ground of perhaps this is something that can be looked at for clarity, even os there a possible option clubs can put in an LR that people must carry a timing device for ball searches..

Would that be something that is possible then for example at my club no issues with the implied forum cheat debate, club says LR you must time it using x y or z
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Slab
No Penalty for Rose
Replies
8
Views
859
nickjdavis
N
D
Status of holed ball
Replies
8
Views
2K
D-S
D
F
Ban Club Championship
Replies
4
Views
2K
Frankiehug67
F
D
USGA Quiz Question (Ref# 689)
2 3
Replies
43
Views
6K
Colin L
Colin L
G
Alternative to handicaps
2 3 4
Replies
75
Views
6K
sunshine
S
Top