Looking for lost ball

[chrisd]

Sitting in the clubhouse after yesterdays game there was chat about rules. At one stage I said that I cant understand, in a strokeplay competition, why my playing partner who had hit a ball to an area that you just don't wan't to be, didn't play a provisional and if it was a good one just walk on without looking for his ball.

The usual argument ensued, someone insisted that you are obliged, under the rules, to look for your ball if you play a provisional. I said that I know the rule and there is no requirement for a player to search for his ball, although playing partners can, and if found within 5 minutes and assuming that he hadn't played his provisional (assuming it was past where his original ball was) then he would be obliged to proceed with the original ball.

Question - will the £20 bet be mine next Sunday?


Chris

 

[USER1999]

Yes.

I would always go and look for a playing partners ball though, regardless of whether they wanted it found or not. I like seeing people playing out of the bundu. It makes me happy.

 

[stevie_r]

I think so, my understanding is that there is no requirement to waste 5 minutes of your life searching for it but that if found by a playing partner you cannot refuse to identify it.

 

[chrisd]

Yes.

I would always go and look for a playing partners ball though, regardless of whether they wanted it found or not. I like seeing people playing out of the bundu. It makes me happy.

Agreed on that Murph except it would depend on how claggy the bundu is and what I was wearing!


Chris

 

[Ethan]

I said that I know the rule and there is no requirement for a player to search for his ball, although playing partners can, and if found within 5 minutes and assuming that he hadn't played his provisional (assuming it was past where his original ball was) then he would be obliged to proceed with the original ball.




Chris

You are quite correct. Discussed here a few times.

 

[bladeplayer]

, didn't play a provisional and if it was a good one just walk on without looking for his ball.



Chris

Is didnt .. a typo Chris ? The handiest way out is to not declare it a provisional just tee it up & play , then its in play no mater what your playing partners want ..

I think you are correct in your understanding of the rule tho , you would be expected to look for your ball , obliged ? i think not .. if someone in your group finds & can identify it or asks you to identify it , & it is yours & provided you havent hit your "provisional" from in front of this point the origional ball would be back in play ..
now i will be proven wrong by a rules expert ha ha

 

[anotherdouble]

I understand all so far but my question is, if a provisional has been played and called a provisional and as a player i carry on walking down the fairway but a partner or opponent finds my ball and it is def mine, can i still be 3 off the tee eg prov ball in play or do i pick up prov and original ball is in play even though i have made no intention to look for 1st ball. In effect i am deciding that i could not be in a much better position for 3 than I am for 3 off the tee and in position A.

 

[chrisd]

Is didnt .. a typo Chris ? The handiest way out is to not declare it a provisional just tee it up & play , then its in play no mater what your playing partners want ..

I think you are correct in your understanding of the rule tho , you would be expected to look for your ball , obliged ? i think not .. if someone in your group finds & can identify it or asks you to identify it , & it is yours & provided you havent hit your "provisional" from in front of this point the origional ball would be back in play ..
now i will be proven wrong by a rules expert ha ha

You can't even be expected to look for it Blade. It's your decision if you look but as we've all said, you cant stop the others looking.

The main point that you may have missed is, you've hit your ball into trouble and at that point you dont declare that the next ball is a provisional, you are then bound to continue with that second ball even if you hit that into the clag as well.

However, if you declare the provisional and hit a pearl of a shot it's probable that you would want to ignore the first ball and hope that the other guys will also. You then are likely to save shots by either, not having to play the 1st ball where it was laying, not going back to where you played the first ball from and/or not taking a stroke and distance drop (both under penalty and assuming one or either ball was found).

So, in said circumstances, I would always declare a provisional and hope my playing partners are friendly!


Chris

 

[Ethan]

I understand all so far but my question is, if a provisional has been played and called a provisional and as a player i carry on walking down the fairway but a partner or opponent finds my ball and it is def mine, can i still be 3 off the tee eg prov ball in play or do i pick up prov and original ball is in play even though i have made no intention to look for 1st ball. In effect i am deciding that i could not be in a much better position for 3 than I am for 3 off the tee and in position A.

If you have not played your provo from nearer the hole, and your original ball is found in play within 5 minutes, then the provo must be picked up and you must play the original. It doesn't matter who finds it, or whether you wanted it found or not.

 

[anotherdouble]

Cheers Ethan that answers my question without any 'ifs or maybees. Black and white and no grey just how i like it.

 

[fundy]

Yes.

I would always go and look for a playing partners ball though, regardless of whether they wanted it found or not. I like seeing people playing out of the bundu. It makes me happy.

So so glad im playing with you at Woburn lol

 

[USER1999]

So so glad im playing with you at Woburn lol

Just keep it on the short stuff, and it's no problem.

 

[fundy]

Just keep it on the short stuff, and it's no problem.

lol and to think I hadnt thought of that approach

 

[HotDogAssassin]

I would always go and look for a playing partners ball though, regardless of whether they wanted it found or not. I like seeing people playing out of the bundu. It makes me happy.

In that case, you'd be a happy man playing with me. :fore:

 

[Oddsocks]

isnt the grey area whether your declare your 2nd ball as a provisional or not. IE you can declar the ball lost and declare your 2nd ball as ball in play, then it doesnt matter if the first ball is found or not?

 

[bladeplayer]

isnt the grey area whether your declare your 2nd ball as a provisional or not. IE you can declar the ball lost and declare your 2nd ball as ball in play, then it doesnt matter if the first ball is found or not?

From my time on here ive found you cannot declare a ball lost , they way around this I THINK would be to re tee without declaring ..

 

[bladeplayer]

You can't even be expected to look for it Blade. It's your decision if you look but as we've all said, you cant stop the others looking.

The main point that you may have missed is, you've hit your ball into trouble and at that point you dont declare that the next ball is a provisional, you are then bound to continue with that second ball even if you hit that into the clag as well.

Chris

I apreciate what you are saying Chris regarding you cant be expected to , but isnt declaring a provisional a kind of saying im going to hit another one just in case i cannot find that one ? therefore i would expect you to at least look for the 1st one, how hard or how long is totaly up to you .. but you are totaly correct you are not obliged to do that ..

 

[chrisd]

therefore i would expect you to at least look for the 1st one, how hard or how long is totaly up to you .. but you are totaly correct you are not obliged to do that ..

That is precisely the point Blade, I cant be expected to look. The rules do not require me to, and therefore we are talking the unwritten rule, the right thing to do and other ways of saying that it isn't fair to use the rules in your favour - the rules though, are the rules, you are not obliged to look under the rules and therefore you cant be wrong by just strolling past the position where the ball is, and playing on. The rules are there to help as well as hurt and, I believe they generally hurt more than help.

chris

 

[daymond]

Unless you say on the tee that you are playing a provisional your next shot is three off the tee. Silence/I think my ball is lost/etc. is three off the tee. Always make shure that at least one of your group hears you say provisional.

 

[Ethan]

Unless you say on the tee that you are playing a provisional your next shot is three off the tee. Silence/I think my ball is lost/etc. is three off the tee. Always make shure that at least one of your group hears you say provisional.

Correct. The other option is that one of your playing partners asks you if you are playing a provisional (before you hit it) and you answer or indicate in the affirmative. That satisfies the Rules of Golf.