close matchplay game with a ball indentification problem thrown in.

[louise_a]

Yesterday our club played a match in the Archie Preston Competition, a mixed foursomes club knockout for the Manchester and district golf alliance. It appears to be a big thing locally, My partner and I were 2 down playing the 11th Where my partners drive headed for the trees. The drive was right into the sun so it was hard to see to more than the line.
When we got down to where the ball should have been The only ball we could see was in the middle of the fairway, it was the same type and number as the one we were playing with but not where we expected it to be. Unfortunately my partner didn't have any marking on the ball and our opponents insisted that, as the ball wasn't where it was expected to be, we could not be sure it was our ball and as we couldn't find one in trees, we would have to go back and play 3 off the tee, needless to say we lost the hole to go 3 down. In our minds it was obviously our ball in the fairway, but it shows the importance of having personal markings on the ball.

As for the match, after a couple of halves, one where my partnered holed a putt from the fringe of the green, we were still 3 down on the 14th tee, where our opponents put one in the trees and we won the hole to get one back. A par on the 15th, where we got a shot, got us back to 1 down, and I holed a 30 footer for a birdie on the 16th to go to all square. We won the 17th to go 1 up. Our opponents holed a 6 footer on the last to send us back down the first, where a par won us the match. We also won the team match 4-3.

 

[CMAC]

nice win Louise......despite their best efforts

 

[Val]

nice win Louise......despite their best efforts

Agreed,

It does show the importance of marking your ball though. I've twice had my ball hit in error in medals despite it having markings, I now ensure there is no debate as I pretty much mark it in some way all the way round (green line)

 

[patricks148]

Agreed,

It does show the importance of marking your ball though. I've twice had my ball hit in error in medals despite it having markings, I now ensure there is no debate as I pretty much mark it in some way all the way round (green line)

Even if you mark you ball there’s no guarantee that some numpty won’t play it by mistake.

Playing with a mate yesterday afternoon in the club stableford, I hit my 3 wood tee shot just short of the ditch on the 2nd. Then as I’m walking up the fairway two guys playing the 16th walk over to my ball and play it towards the 16th Green. I’m waving my arms and they took no notice. Get up there and tell the guys he’s just played my ball. No No no he say definitely his ball. Are you playing a Titleist Pro V1 x number 7 with a line around it and dots around the number? No he says a TM, so I walk over to the 16th Green pick my ball up show it to him all the time he’s moaning it’s his ball. So I show him it and then point to his ball in the ditch about 10 yards away. Not so much as a sorry, two American Visitors as well.

As I walked back to replace my ball, still grumbling he was sure it was his ball!!!!

 

[Birchy]

This is why my ball is marked with a rash, no mistaking it

 

[North Mimms]

Even if you mark you ball there’s no guarantee that some numpty won’t play it by mistake.

You are so right!

One of my regular playing partners marks her ball with a nice little pattern of green dots, not matter how the ball lands there is always a dot showing. She hits a lovely drive over the brow of the hill...some muppet comes across from adjacent fairway and plays her ball. She makes him walk 200 yards to collect it and bring it back to her- good girl!

 

[pbrown7582]

although it wont stop the problem of people hitting your ball at least personlization would of saved the OP a lot of hassle and discontent, i would of been most annoyed yes it might of been in the fairway and not the trees but quite possible it had a good bounce and when you couldnt se it very harsh to argue it wasnt the correct ball, at least no harm done it the end. Good win! :thup:

 

[virtuocity]

our opponents insisted that, as the ball wasn't where it was expected to be, we could not be sure it was our ball and as we couldn't find one in trees, we would have to go back and play 3 off the tee

Lovely. Makes the victory sweeter!

 

[duncan mackie]

Unfortunately my partner didn't have any marking on the ball and our opponents insisted that, as the ball wasn't where it was expected to be, we could not be sure it was our ball and as we couldn't find one in trees, we would have to go back and play 3 off the tee,

poppycock

how can you find it in the trees if you have already found it - and balls heading for trees can end up anywhere.

the Rules don't require you to add additional markings on it, they recommend it.
even with additional markings you can still have a problem when others make the same, play one you lost yesterday to the same area etc etc
the only real problem occurs if you find 2 balls the same in similar positions - in this example you already have a problem when you have found this one - had you found another, the same, how can you be sure which ones yours?
further any ball played a few times will have identifying marks, but (here's the generalisation) I have found that ladies really don't pay a whole lot of attention to them; which leads to 'I think it's mine' type comments when finding balls such as the above, rather than 'yep, that's mine it's got a small scuff next to the number....' end of discussion.

some sort of mark really is a good idea though - fortunately most of the ball's I play already have one added by some kind sole

 

[Fader]

Glad you won the match especially with them trying it on like that. If the ball had taken a bounce off a tree a eded up centre fairway there's no way you'd have found it in trees.

But certainly sweeter win for the hassle and best team won by sounds of it. Does highlight how a simple mark can make all the difference though a couple pink dots around the number and pink cross on side of ball does it for me no-one wants to use my ball inadvertanely then!

 

[Foxholer]

Does indeed show how simply marking your ball allows you to identify it and, almost cetainly, prevent such incidents.

You should also announce it before you play (your team plays in this case) it for the first time.

Really stressed to me in my first Open - at Pitrieavie over 10 years ago! A Fellow Competitor, with a good score going, hit his Topflite 3000 (that's how memorable and long ago it was) into the long rough on 18. Found a Topflite 3000, same number but no mark 10-15 yards away from where we came across his, marked one. Without the ability to identify which was his, his was lost!

Well done on the win.

 

[vkurup]

Interesting.. no one mentioning Golfdotz...

if you had a few red chillies & a bomb, you would not be in this situation...

 

[louise_a]

It was not my ball, we were using my partner's. mine are all clearly marked.

 

[duncan mackie]

You should also announce it before you play (your team plays in this case) it for the first time.

no need for this, but it seems to make people happy doing it, and doesn't cause any harm...

 

[cliveb]

Even if you mark you ball there’s no guarantee that some numpty won’t play it by mistake

And even if you mark your ball it doesn't guarantee you won't be a numpty and play the wrong ball yourself...

In a medal on Sunday I was playing a Titlest 3, marked with my usual red dots. As I approached my ball, there it was - a Titlest 3 nestled down in the first cut. I thought to myself "funny, I thought it went a bit further than here", but thought nothing more of it and played it anyway. Then as I walked on, I saw *my* Titlest 3 a few yards on. Taught me a lesson - always check for your mark even when you are sure you've found your ball.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

nice win Louise......despite their best efforts

Can't agree, if you fail to mark your own ball it's your problem not the opponents, I would have done the same in their position.