Stupid Mistake!

[Deleted member 23344]

Was playing in a Stableford competition today at my club and doing OK after seven holes ... playing to my handicap. Then an incident occurred which cost me a blob and, frustratingly, I let it derail my round. I drove off and landed on the fairway and then hit my second shot to within a wedge’s length of the green. When I looked down to play my third shot, I realised it wasn’t my ball! The only explanation would seem to be that there was a rogue ball on the fairway - possibly a wayward drive from the parallel fairway - sitting in the area where my drive had landed and I hadn’t noticed that it was the wrong ball when I played my second shot. My fault I know ... but easy to do when you think you know where the ball has landed, even if it is lying with only white showing (i.e. no markings showing). Note to self ... ALWAYS CHECK!

Anyway, I was pleased that I called it and didn’t for a moment think about finishing the hole with the wrong ball and then switching. But I shouldn’t have let it get to me and derail my round.

Anybody else done something similar? Or committed some other basic beginner’s error?

 

[clubchamp98]

Was playing in a Stableford competition today at my club and doing OK after seven holes ... playing to my handicap. Then an incident occurred which cost me a blob and, frustratingly, I let it derail my round. I drove off and landed on the fairway and then hit my second shot to within a wedge’s length of the green. When I looked down to play my third shot, I realised it wasn’t my ball! The only explanation would seem to be that there was a rogue ball on the fairway - possibly a wayward drive from the parallel fairway - sitting in the area where my drive had landed and I hadn’t noticed that it was the wrong ball when I played my second shot. My fault I know ... but easy to do when you think you know where the ball has landed, even if it is lying with only white showing (i.e. no markings showing). Note to self ... ALWAYS CHECK!

Anyway, I was pleased that I called it and didn’t for a moment think about finishing the hole with the wrong ball and then switching. But I shouldn’t have let it get to me and derail my round.

Anybody else done something similar? Or committed some other basic beginner’s error?

Did this several times .
Now I mark my ball both sides so one is always visible.
Now I always check.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Chic Murray made the observation on stupid mistakes that it is rare that we make clever mistakes

 

[SteveJay]

Nearly made that mistake myself on Saturday. Hit my drive then a hybrid which came up about 30 yards short of the green. Hit a good pitch to about 4 feet, then panicked as I looked across and saw another ball. I had hit mine without checking, but fortunately the other ball was the rogue one that had come over from the adjacent fairway.

Like mentioned above, will always ensure my ball is marked on both sides now. I usually do that but hadn't with that ball.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Yup, me too. Played my pp ball last year in a comp. Same brand, same area so i didn't check. I do now 😁. I have a selection of brands in my bag and try to avoid what my pp use now to make life easier.

 

[upsidedown]

Happened to me on saturday on the 1st hole , drove off first and was on left hand side of fairway, mate drove off but didn't see his. Got to where I thought my ball was and played it as my mate was walking down the rough on the left hand side looking for his ball . He then saw a ball up ahead and yes it was mine as his had hit tree and come out. Both were playing Titleist's 4's but with different markings . Went on to shoot 36 with another blob :rofl:

 

[GaryK]

Is there the option to go back to your ball and play from there?
Does any particular rule cover this scenario?

 

[Deleted member 23344]

I also mark my ball in two places ... two red dots over each Srixon logo. However, the logos are not diametrically opposed and so it is possible for the ball to land with both almost hidden from view. The lesson is clearly, if in doubt, check!

 

[Deleted member 23344]

Is there the option to go back to your ball and play from there?
Does any particular rule cover this scenario?

I believe so, although the next group had already driven off. I didn’t as the penalty would almost certainly have meant a blob anyway, so I just accepted that.

 

[HampshireHog]

Did it last week in a comp, probably cost me buffer.

Annoyingly my actual ball was lying much better then one I played.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Happened to me a while back. It got in my head too so I know where the OP is coming from. The annoying thing was I asked my PP if the ball he was looking at was his, and therefore by default the one I was at was mine. He mumbled something incoherent and wandered off to the nearest tree for the call of nature. I assumed I was OK to proceed, stuck it on the green and he came back and decided I had played the wrong ball (as I had). I mentioned I asked him and he said he didn't hear. "But you said something in reply". In the end I let it go but spoilt the round and was more than a bit annoyed

 

[chrisd]

During a winter league match once,I picked the ball up on the middle of the fairway, cleaned it and replaced it, hit it to the green. Not only was it not my ball but it wasn't even the same make of ball I was playing and certainly didn't have my mark on it.

 

[louise_a]

did it twice last year the second time on the last hole when going well in a big competition, I wouldn't have won but without the 2 shot penalty I would have been in the prizes, and in my buffer!

 

[casuk]

Also did it last week

 

[backwoodsman]

Is there the option to go back to your ball and play from there?
Does any particular rule cover this scenario?

Yes. Rule 15/3

What you should do in a strokeplay event is to go back & play your correct ball. You disregard any strokes made at the wrong ball, and add two penalty shots to your score. If you don't correct your mistake, you end up disqualified - except if it's stableford when you just end up with a blob. (If it's matchplay, you automatically lose the hole as soon as you play the wrong ball).

 

[nickjdavis]

Did it in a Foursomes match away against another club.

I was playing a Callaway number 3 at the time and my usual marking was a couple of blue dots. However on this occasion we were using my partners ball...a Mizuno.

It was early in the match and we were 4up after 5 holes when my partner teed off and sprayed it into trees right....I was already half way up the fairway and had a good idea where it landed... marched straight to the spot and found "the" ball.... looked down and saw the Callaway logo number 3 and the edge of a blue dot... so played back out to the fairway. My partner then reached the ball, looked down at it and told me that it was a wrong ball!!

Of course to find a ball with the same markings that I played every week where I expected to find our ball was a bit unlikely but it just shows how familiarity can get you into trouble... especially when playing foursomes!!!

 

[Deleted member 23344]

So it looks like I’m in good company then!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

'Pleased I called it'.
Do you want us to congratulate you for playing by the rules not cheating.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

'Pleased I called it'.
Do you want us to congratulate you for playing by the rules not cheating.

Lol. I thought someone would pick up on that. No, not at all ... it’s just that I have always believed that I would play fair if such a situation arose, but it never had ... until now. It was good to find out that I was right.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Most of us will have hit the wrong ball at some time. My mate did it when I was playing with him in a foursomes comp at Royal Birkdale - I hit the blind tee shot. Our PPs walked up to, and stood beside, a ball - we assumed (mistake #1) that it was their ball. So we went to the other ball and assumed (mistake #2) that it was ours so we did not bother checking it (mistake #3). My mate hit it onto the green, for one of our PPs to pipe up 'you've just hit our ball'. My mate didn't punch him (mistake #4).