snell
Journeyman Pro
What I'm saying is that I've never witnessed this before. Couldn't be bothered waiting 5 minutes for someone to look for a ball to be honest.
5 minute search time
- Thread starter williamalex1
- Start date
What I'm saying is that I've never witnessed this before. Couldn't be bothered waiting 5 minutes for someone to look for a ball to be honest.
ManinBlack
Tour Winner
What else can you do? The rule says "5 minutes" not "about 5 minutes" I'm sure it's a much abused rule &, yes, I've seen people find a ball after more than 5 minutes searching, for example, while they are continuing the search while letting people through, & continue to play with it. It's cheating, plain & simple, just the same as using a leather wedge in the rough.
ManinBlack
Tour Winner
Don't be daft, I've seen balls found within, & outside of the 5 minute limit. You search, let the match behind through, continue to search & sometimes you find it.
ManinBlack
Tour Winner
What you going to do in a medal? Play on without them?
ManinBlack
Tour Winner
It actually happened in the County Championship at our place last year. On the 18th a player was walking back to replay his tee shot when the ball was found. He insisted it was within the 5 minutes. His fellow competitors didn't, but nobody knew for certain. They asked the County officials for a ruling but what could they do? They didn't witness it. Don't know what the final decision was.
D
Deleted member 16999
Guest
Totally get what you're saying but I reckon most search for 2-3 minutes without realising, 5 minutes flies by.
The way you're playing at the moment would you be bothered if it was the difference between a Comp win and an NR, surely if the Comp meant something you'd rather waste 5 minutes looking than giving up?
Liverbirdie
Ryder Cup Winner
There are times, when in an important game, and especially pairs matchplay when I have delayed looking for my ball on my own, which is what I'd normally do.
I've delayed looking for it so all 4 of us can look for it (for 5 mins, if required). Better than me looking for 2-3 minutes on my own, then with 4 of us for only 2-3 minutes together.
I've delayed looking for it so all 4 of us can look for it (for 5 mins, if required). Better than me looking for 2-3 minutes on my own, then with 4 of us for only 2-3 minutes together.
I look at my watch every time, if it's my ball or a PP. It's habit. As others have said it's a black and white rule. I will mention to a PP if we're getting close and be aware of it myself. If it's in deep stuff I'll normally spend only a couple of minutes looking, but if a PP wants the full five minutes (and keeping an eye on the group behind) then I will keep an eye on the time. If that makes me sad then so be it.
chellie
Tour Winner
I do the same. Can't understand people who don't.
snell
Journeyman Pro
Yeah since you've put it that way I see what you mean.
But for me it's the biggest factor when it comes to slow play, so I always hit a provisional if I fear I'm in trouble....then I'll give it a cursory look for a minute.
D
Deleted member 16999
Guest
Which is the sensible thing to do, but how many times have you seen someone hit a decent shot then go forward and can't find it, it's probably these situations that cause the most problem.
I got caught out in a knockout semifinal in the late 80's by someone who insisted they still had another few minutes to look. 17th hole and they were 1up. The ball was found after another few minutes, and 17 & 18 were halved for a loss of match for me. They were well over but how do you prove it?
If I'm in a comp I make a point of declaring the start time when I/we start looking.
If I'm in a comp I make a point of declaring the start time when I/we start looking.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
We tend to work on the principle that if it ain't found in a minute or two you're either not going to find it or you don't want to find it because it'll probably be unplayable
Three
Tour Rookie
You have 5 minutes to find a ball, someone should always time it, simple.
Getting upset because someone is timing is plain juvenile.
Getting upset because someone is timing is plain juvenile.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
I tend to think the opposite, folks estimate of the passage of time is more likely to be under-estimated. Just stick them on hold on the phone for 3 minutes & most folk will think 5 minutes has passed
Wandering round the rough/clag (especially if its wet or jaggy) and I think folk will assume 5 minutes has been reached long before the clock gets there
Better example might be folks estimation of how long they had to wait to play a shot, 3 minutes swishing the club is suddenly 'waiting 5 minutes on every shot' once it gets to the forum
On Saturday on our 2nd we had a situation that got into my head and cost me a treble!
PP No1 knobbed his drive forward only about 100 yards and it took a small bounce to the right to finish up just in the tree line where its all level cut rough about 80mm, PP No2 hooked his right short of the right to left dogleg but we had a good line on it, I then hit a good drive down the middle of the fairway with a draw which saw it turn around the dogleg witnessing a bounce and it going forward, both my PP's said "great drive".
PP No1 walked down the right of the fairway to find his ball which i didn't give a second thought about believing he would walk straight to it, I walked with PP No2 off to left through the trees to find what could be a much harder ball to locate as I had a good line on it but it can be hard to find in that area at times, it must have taken close on the full 5 minutes to find it, well it felt like it.
As we found it I looked back to see PP No1 still looking for his ball! I walked back up the fairway and I could see the group behind just coming off the 1st green and walking to their bags to come to the 2nd tee block, so I told PP No1 to go and play 3 off the tee, which he did.
PP No2 had now played his shot down a neighbouring fairway to get level with the green and take a 3rd over some trees to the green, which he did, PP No1 hit his 3 off the tee down the fairway, short but straight and then took a 4th shot down within the 150yd marker, I then turned to walk to my ball only to not see it on the fairway!!
Even when you hit a good shaped drive on the this hole it can just bounce and roll to the left due to the dogleg into the 2nd cut rough short of the treeline, I called the group behind down and I became anxious that I'd spent time helping both my PP's who were now both in play and yet I was now struggling to find my ball! I know my distance on this hole but this cut rough which looks neat is just higher than a ball and so unless you walk up to it and down, it nestles down too deep, I have no problem with being in the rough due to a poor shot, but this cut rough so close to the fairway is just a touch too long.
I was now getting angry in my head, I'd helped and sorted both my PP's and now I was looking at walking back to the tee to let another group through or considering throwing the towel in for a comp I was looking forward to playing in with a NR on hole 2!
Suddenly, almost at the point of making a rash decision, I found it, only 8" in from the first cut nestled down in the evenly cut rough grass which is just a few millimeters higher than the ball, I was slightly blocked out due to the dogleg and the green being set back, I rushed my shot as I punched it out at an angle travelling across the fairway and came to stop behind a tree blocking my shot to the green 60 yards away, a chip out sideways, a chip past and above the flag on a very downward sloping green, a chip down rolling 12' past and then a 2-putt put a 7 on my card with PP No2 getting a 5 and PP No1 also getting a 7 but he was 3 off the tee and eventually won the comp!
My head was blown, 2 PP's in trouble off the tee of which 1 makes a nett par and the other a bogey (he had 2 shots) and myself with a supposedly good drive ends up rushed and flustered and comes off angry enough to walk off with a treble!
I think 5 minutes is too long, I think both my PP were borderline with it but when you're looking for 2 players balls on the same hole, the potential to look for balls for 10 minutes, coupled with delays from letting groups through and then getting focussed again for your next shot is crazy, I think it should be cut to 3 minutes, it might not seem like a lot of difference but I think 5 minutes just pulls the teeth out of everything, IMO.
:rant:
PP No1 knobbed his drive forward only about 100 yards and it took a small bounce to the right to finish up just in the tree line where its all level cut rough about 80mm, PP No2 hooked his right short of the right to left dogleg but we had a good line on it, I then hit a good drive down the middle of the fairway with a draw which saw it turn around the dogleg witnessing a bounce and it going forward, both my PP's said "great drive".
PP No1 walked down the right of the fairway to find his ball which i didn't give a second thought about believing he would walk straight to it, I walked with PP No2 off to left through the trees to find what could be a much harder ball to locate as I had a good line on it but it can be hard to find in that area at times, it must have taken close on the full 5 minutes to find it, well it felt like it.
As we found it I looked back to see PP No1 still looking for his ball! I walked back up the fairway and I could see the group behind just coming off the 1st green and walking to their bags to come to the 2nd tee block, so I told PP No1 to go and play 3 off the tee, which he did.
PP No2 had now played his shot down a neighbouring fairway to get level with the green and take a 3rd over some trees to the green, which he did, PP No1 hit his 3 off the tee down the fairway, short but straight and then took a 4th shot down within the 150yd marker, I then turned to walk to my ball only to not see it on the fairway!!
Even when you hit a good shaped drive on the this hole it can just bounce and roll to the left due to the dogleg into the 2nd cut rough short of the treeline, I called the group behind down and I became anxious that I'd spent time helping both my PP's who were now both in play and yet I was now struggling to find my ball! I know my distance on this hole but this cut rough which looks neat is just higher than a ball and so unless you walk up to it and down, it nestles down too deep, I have no problem with being in the rough due to a poor shot, but this cut rough so close to the fairway is just a touch too long.
I was now getting angry in my head, I'd helped and sorted both my PP's and now I was looking at walking back to the tee to let another group through or considering throwing the towel in for a comp I was looking forward to playing in with a NR on hole 2!
Suddenly, almost at the point of making a rash decision, I found it, only 8" in from the first cut nestled down in the evenly cut rough grass which is just a few millimeters higher than the ball, I was slightly blocked out due to the dogleg and the green being set back, I rushed my shot as I punched it out at an angle travelling across the fairway and came to stop behind a tree blocking my shot to the green 60 yards away, a chip out sideways, a chip past and above the flag on a very downward sloping green, a chip down rolling 12' past and then a 2-putt put a 7 on my card with PP No2 getting a 5 and PP No1 also getting a 7 but he was 3 off the tee and eventually won the comp!
My head was blown, 2 PP's in trouble off the tee of which 1 makes a nett par and the other a bogey (he had 2 shots) and myself with a supposedly good drive ends up rushed and flustered and comes off angry enough to walk off with a treble!
I think 5 minutes is too long, I think both my PP were borderline with it but when you're looking for 2 players balls on the same hole, the potential to look for balls for 10 minutes, coupled with delays from letting groups through and then getting focussed again for your next shot is crazy, I think it should be cut to 3 minutes, it might not seem like a lot of difference but I think 5 minutes just pulls the teeth out of everything, IMO.
:rant:
Last edited:
ManinBlack
Tour Winner
This is the way I look at it.
D
Deleted member 16999
Guest
Fair point Robin and can understand your frustration, it might sound "jack" but I don't join in with searching for another ball until I've confirmed were mine is, more than happy to help anyone, but like you've put it can be to the detriment of your game, not bothered if the time is 1 or 5 minutes, currently it's 5 so at times people will use it.
GB72
Money List Winner
Agree, on a packed course during a comp 5 minutes per ball is too much. My suggestion, each player goes to their ball and has 5 minutes to find it. Anyone who has not located their ball goes back to tee off again. The delay is following common courtesy of everyone looking for each ball. Make the rule that each player and each player alone is responsible for locating their ball then everyone else can find theirs and, if prudent, play their shot whilst an errant ball is being looked for.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
Some people are absolutely useless at following balls into rough. it would take forever and some people would lose a million balls.
