Can a ball be lost when it's still in bounds?

[eadwacer]

Hi. Just a quick question. I don't know much about golf but I'm actually a freelance copywriter and I'm writing about golf for a client.

I'm writing a post about penalty strokes for a lost ball, and I just wanted to clear up this question. Can a ball be lost if it's still in bounds? Does lost ball simply mean you can't find it, even if you're pretty certain it stayed in bounds?

Thanks!

 

[Old Skier]

Hi. Just a quick question. I don't know much about golf but I'm actually a freelance copywriter and I'm writing about golf for a client.

I'm writing a post about penalty strokes for a lost ball, and I just wanted to clear up this question. Can a ball be lost if it's still in bounds? Does lost ball simply mean you can't find it, even if you're pretty certain it stayed in bounds?

Thanks!

A ball can be lost anywhere on the course - ask a million golfers.

 

[eadwacer]

A ball can be lost anywhere on the course - ask a million golfers.

Haha, that's great, thanks very much!

 

[jim8flog]

A ball can be lost anywhere on the course - ask a million golfers.

Not according to another half a million, judging by the time they spend looking for it.

 

[rulefan]

Hi. Just a quick question. I don't know much about golf but I'm actually a freelance copywriter and I'm writing about golf for a client.

I'm writing a post about penalty strokes for a lost ball, and I just wanted to clear up this question. Can a ball be lost if it's still in bounds? Does lost ball simply mean you can't find it, even if you're pretty certain it stayed in bounds?

Thanks!

The technical answer is in the Rules of Golf definition of 'Lost'

The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after you or your caddie (or your partner or partner’s caddie) begin to search for it.

A significant point is that a player cannot simply declare his ball to be lost. It becomes lost when the words in the Definition are satisfied.
A ball that is not on the course (ie out of bounds) is simply a ball that is not in play. If a player decides not to search for 3 minutes and puts another ball into play, again the original ball is not lost but simply not in play.

This extract from the relevant Rule may be of help

18.2 Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Stroke-and-Distance Relief Must Be Taken
a. When Ball Is Lost or Out of Bounds
(1) When Ball Is Lost. A ball is lost if not found in three minutes after the player or his or her caddie begins to search for it.
If a ball is found in that time but it is uncertain whether it is the player’s ball:

• The player must promptly attempt to identify the ball (see Rule 7.2) and is allowed a reasonable time to do so, even if that happens after the three-minute search time has ended.
• This includes a reasonable time to get to the ball if the player is not where the ball is found.

If the player does not identify his or her ball in that reasonable time, the ball is lost.

(2) When Ball Is Out of Bounds. A ball at rest is out of bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary edge of the course.

b. What to Do When Ball Is Lost or Out of Bounds
If a ball is lost or out of bounds the player must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing the original ball or another ball from where the previous stroke was made.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The technical answer is in the Rules of Golf definition of 'Lost'

The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after you or your caddie (or your partner or partner’s caddie) begin to search for it.

A significant point is that a player cannot simply declare his ball to be lost. It becomes lost when the words in the Definition are satisfied.
A ball that is not on the course (ie out of bounds) is simply a ball that is not in play. If a player decides not to search for 3 minutes and puts another ball into play, again the original ball is not lost but simply not in play.

This extract from the relevant Rule may be of help

18.2 Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Stroke-and-Distance Relief Must Be Taken
a. When Ball Is Lost or Out of Bounds
(1) When Ball Is Lost. A ball is lost if not found in three minutes after the player or his or her caddie begins to search for it.
If a ball is found in that time but it is uncertain whether it is the player’s ball:

• The player must promptly attempt to identify the ball (see Rule 7.2) and is allowed a reasonable time to do so, even if that happens after the three-minute search time has ended.
• This includes a reasonable time to get to the ball if the player is not where the ball is found.

If the player does not identify his or her ball in that reasonable time, the ball is lost.

(2) When Ball Is Out of Bounds. A ball at rest is out of bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary edge of the course.

b. What to Do When Ball Is Lost or Out of Bounds
If a ball is lost or out of bounds the player must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing the original ball or another ball from where the previous stroke was made.

...and there was our non-golfing OP thinking he'd asked a simple question...well he did - however the answer.

Note to OP - a player cannot declare that his ball is lost - it becomes lost by the players actions subsequent to hitting the shot that he thinks might result in him not finding his ball - but not by his words. And that is probably most baffling and unhelpful...