Finding ball after having given up

[cliveb]

Playing today at one point I failed to find my ball. After a brief search, I told my two playing companions to finish off and we'd move on. After they had both putted out, we started walking off the green when I stumbled across my ball. It had almost certainly been less than 5 minutes since we had started looking for it.

Am I correct in believing that that because I had not yet tee'd off on the next hole, I was probably entitled to play it and finish the hole? Even though I'd already said to the others to forget it and let's move on?

 

[pogle]

Playing today at one point I failed to find my ball. After a brief search, I told my two playing companions to finish off and we'd move on. After they had both putted out, we started walking off the green when I stumbled across my ball. It had almost certainly been less than 5 minutes since we had started looking for it.

Am I correct in believing that that because I had not yet tee'd off on the next hole, I was probably entitled to play it and finish the hole? Even though I'd already said to the others to forget it and let's move on?

The ball isn't lost unless the 5 minutes have expired or another ball has been put into play, so in stroke play you're fine to carry on. In match play, the suggestion to "carry on" is equivalent to conceding the hole so discovering the ball later is too late, even though the 5 minutes hasn't expired. (Decision 2-4/13 - http://www.randa.org/Rules-of-Golf/...ext-Stroke#b-B3D748BE606D491FB451BDDE31792A65 ).

 

[atticusfinch]

[h=2]27/16[/h] [h=4]Ball Declared Lost Is Found Before Another Ball Put into Play[/h]Q.A player searched for his ball for two minutes, declared it lost and started back to play another ball at the spot from which the original ball was played. Before he put another ball into play, his original ball was found within the five-minute period allowed for search. What is the ruling?

A.A player cannot render a ball lost by a declaration - see Definition of "Lost Ball." The original ball remained in play - see Definition of "Ball in Play."