Hitting two balls at the same time.

[freshcat]

Today in a four ball matchplay, one of our opponents was in the deep rough. He found his ball and it was identified by myself. However, when left as it lied it could not be seen through the grass. My FC played a stroke and two balls came out at the same time.

One went forward and remained in the rough and one ball out to the fairway. My FC immediately walked to the one that remained in the rough not seeing the one in the fairway.

I saw both balls leave the rough and told him his ball was on the fairway, his playing partner (4 Handicapper) immediately declared the hole lost as he might of hit the wrong ball first.

I was unsure as to if that was correct, and even having a rule book on me, we could not find anything covering this.

We lost the match on the 18th so it did not make a difference in the end.

I am just interested in the correct ruling, any thoughts ?

 

[ColchesterFC]

Don't know the exact ruling but my feeling is that rather than loss of the hole the worst case would be that the player was out of the hole but his partner would still be in it and able to continue with his own ball.

EDIT - I'm sure that there is a ruling that covers this situation but in a bunker where a buried ball is hit on the same shot but not sure what the rule is.

 

[freshcat]

His partner was already out of the hole having hit OB off the tee.

 

[guest100718]

no penalty, carry on with his own ball playing it as it lies.

 

[Colin L]

He did not intend to hit the hidden ball (how could he?) and so he did not make a stroke at it. Even if he did hit the other ball first, all he did was to hit a movable obstruction. No penalty as Paddy says and carry on

 

[backwoodsman]

No penalty and carry on with own ball - decision 15/2

15/2 Player's Stroke at Own Ball Dislodges Concealed Ball
Q.A player plays a stroke with his own ball in the rough and also hits an old abandoned ball which was hidden beneath his ball. Since he struck the hidden ball, did he play a wrong ball?

A.No. The player played a stroke with his own ball, not with the hidden ball. Since he did not play a stroke with the hidden ball, Rule 15-3 is not applicable. The player must play his ball as it lies.

 

[duncan mackie]

The key here lies in the wording of 15-3

"If a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball"

Unfortunately people short circuit the wording of many rules and from there confusion is easy...