Jason.H
Well-known member
Does anyone actually check the time? I mean I’ve never set a stopwatch
Two 'lost' balls, one search area
- Thread starter Steven Rules
- Start date
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
If players arrive together then they have both got three minutes to search.
if they arrive at different times then the searches can overlap.
The searching starts when you or your caddy arrive not when your pps arrive.
Thats how I understand it.
if they arrive at different times then the searches can overlap.
The searching starts when you or your caddy arrive not when your pps arrive.
Thats how I understand it.
D
Deleted member 29109
Guest
Yes
D-S
Well-known member
I find that counting down loudly from 180 always adds drama to a search.
Never. 30 years of golf, and never seen anyone time or even glance at a watch.
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
I remember seeing Gary Player on the telly borrowing a watch to time himself while searching for his ball. This was more than 30 years ago, however.
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
Suprized trolley oems don’t have one on them now.
one touch button and a timer.
th
one touch button and a timer.
th
Jason.H
Well-known member
Would this be the famous one where he was leading the open so a lot at stake?
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
1974 Open.
About 44 minutes in to this video, but the bit where he gets a watch to time it has been edited out.
Gary Player | The Open Official Film 1974 - YouTube
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
When it was first reduced from 5 minutes to 3 minutes I started to have a watch on the buggy but it is not there now (but I should for one guy I play with regularly).
rulefan
Tour Winner
Prior to it being reduced I saw many players in county comps deciding they had had enough after about 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 minutes. When I indicated they'd got another couple they'd say 'not worth the bother' and continue with their provisional. The noticeable exceptions were the one who hadn't played a provisional.
Now they all seem far more likely to continue 'til the ref tells them 'times up'.
Now they all seem far more likely to continue 'til the ref tells them 'times up'.
Colin L
Tour Winner
I couldn't quantify it, but my impression of more searches going to full time is similar - which does raise some concern about all the searches that go on when there's no referee around.
D-S
Well-known member
Especially when the group calls the group behind through and continue to search the whole time.
Yes. But its an unwritten rule that if you call a group through, you pretty much have until they have cleared and its your groups turn to okay, to find the ball.
rulie
Head Pro
That’s not a rule, it’s likely a breach of a Rule, and will result in a wrong ball scenario if the ball is found after the three minute search limit.
salfordlad
Well-known member
Nonsense. There are no "unwritten" rules that reverse the game's rules.
D-S
Well-known member
I think you may have missed the irony in Backsticks’ post.
Swango1980
Well-known member
I do. But, I'm a loser and have my left wrist watch on GPS, timing my round, to go on Strava after. So, I just look at time when I arrive, and work out when my 3 minutes will be up.
However, I appreciate most people don't time it. Never played with anyone that has appeared to do so anyway, whereas played with many who would happily spend 10 minutes looking, unless someone tells them their time us up. And even then, if they find the ball after that, they'll do anything to try and play it. And I suspect most would allow them.
Colin L
Tour Winner
As you see, you'll get a pretty sharp response to nonsense like this in a rules forum and rightly so. For your education, you can only "stop the clock" if you have to stop searching for your own safety while the group behind plays. As soon as they have played, the search time starts up again.
Of course. But nobody ever times in amateur golf. So its a rule systematically ignored.
Time to look being governed more by the situation of the group behind and the chance of finding the ball. 3 minutes. 5 minutes. Its all the same. If the group behind is tight, then time taken before abandonment will tend to be shorter. If the group is let through, the time will tend to be longer.
So a 'rule' more honoured in the breach than the observance. And probably the most common one in all the rules.
Pro and elite competition I am sure are more diligent.
