Hooked out of bounds but ball is in fairway when you get down

[Chaddy]

Question for you chaps.

I played Seahouses on Saturday and hooked my ball left for those who know the course on the 17th which has a beach and out of bounds running down left of the hole.

My ball was clearly going out of bounds, it started on the boundary line and was drawing however it was sunny so didn't see the ball come down. I get down to the fairway and my ball is there, I didn't see anyone throw it back over the boundary fence but they must have. What is the rule?

 

[TheJezster]

If you haven't played 3 off the tee then just hit it.

If, after seeing it head out of bounds you just dropped another one without saying anything, then that's the one in play. Next shot will be your 4th

 

[Chaddy]

If you haven't played 3 off the tee then just hit it.

If, after seeing it head out of bounds you just dropped another one without saying anything, then that's the one in play. Next shot will be your 4th

I hit a provisional and both were there?

 

[ADB]

Pick up your provisional, continue with your original ball and quietly thank the golfing gods.

 

[Dasit]

Always say provisional for the 2nd ball you hit

Quite a few times I was 99% certain my first was hit OOB but then somehow find it in play.


If you don't announce playing a provisional that first ball you hit becomes dead

 

[Hosel Fade]

Unless you saw it (well it is KVC) happen, that ball is in play.

18-1 Ball moved by outside agency is what you are looking for

 

[Colin L]

Question for you chaps.

I played Seahouses on Saturday and hooked my ball left for those who know the course on the 17th which has a beach and out of bounds running down left of the hole.

My ball was clearly going out of bounds, it started on the boundary line and was drawing however it was sunny so didn't see the ball come down. I get down to the fairway and my ball is there, I didn't see anyone throw it back over the boundary fence but they must have. What is the rule?

If you didn't see anyone throw you ball back, why do you say someone must have? Could the ball not have struck something and bounced back? In effect, if you don't know and can't find out, it didn't happen. Play the ball as it lies.

Decision 18-1/3 helps.
http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-18,d18-1-3

 

[backwoodsman]

I agree with the previous answers - play it as it lies.

There is a converse to this scenario. On a par three, a fellow competitor sliced a tee shot OOB. We all saw it go over the fence into the woods and there was definitely no ball on the green. He then played a provisional on to the edge of the green. We set off walking, went past a couple of trees which obscured the view and then saw both balls on the green. He wanted to continue with the original but although we saw no-one chuck it back, there was absolutely no way the ball could have stayed in motion of its own accord for the several minutes it took to re-appear. Ergo the ball had been OOB and was now just a stray ball.