Water Hazards - Rule 26

[pelican55]

Picture this, large trees line the RHS of the fairway, beyond that is a lateral hazard ( red staked).Off the T ball struck towards trees and clatter clatter, proceed to find, cannot.

Now am I allowed to presume under rule 26 that the ball struck towards the hazard not found, I must reload at the T or

how can I be certain from 220yds that my ball is lost, when I get there and cannot find I will take the option of saying ball lost in hazard and take one penalty drop at point of entry

Remember you cannot hit proviosional ball if you think your ball is lost in hazard

I have been told by long serving members that I must reload at T as I cannot be sure that is lost in hazard, do I have to prove to them that it actually went into hazard from 200 yds

What would you do,reload from T or say my ball went towards hazard and I am entitled to dop there?

 

[pogle]

Picture this, large trees line the RHS of the fairway, beyond that is a lateral hazard ( red staked).Off the T ball struck towards trees and clatter clatter, proceed to find, cannot.

Now am I allowed to presume under rule 26 that the ball struck towards the hazard not found, I must reload at the T or

how can I be certain from 220yds that my ball is lost, when I get there and cannot find I will take the option of saying ball lost in hazard and take one penalty drop at point of entry

Remember you cannot hit proviosional ball if you think your ball is lost in hazard

I have been told by long serving members that I must reload at T as I cannot be sure that is lost in hazard, do I have to prove to them that it actually went into hazard from 200 yds

What would you do,reload from T or say my ball went towards hazard and I am entitled to dop there?

You must have "knowledge or virtual certainty" (KVC) that your ball is in the hazard before you can proceed under Rule 26. I'd have to see the hole to be sure, but my impression is that you don't have KVC in this circumstance, so you can't say "my ball went towards the hazard and I'm allowed to drop there".

As your ball may be lost outside a water hazard you may play a provisional. If you then find your ball in the water hazard, you can proceed under Rule 26 abandoning your provisional ball; if you don't find it, then your provisional ball is in play and you're lying three.

 

[rulefan]

Follow this link to find more about the meaning of "Known or Virtually Certain"

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Decision-26/#26-1/1

 

[pelican55]

Appreciate your comments,the hazard is deep so there is no way I will find it in there,so if I dont find it and cannot prove that it went in there I must proceed back to T

 

[Region3]

Appreciate your comments,the hazard is deep so there is no way I will find it in there,so if I dont find it and cannot prove that it went in there I must proceed back to T

If you haven't played a provisional, yes. You ARE allowed to play a provisional though if the ball might be lost outside the hazard which sounds possible in this case.

If there were nowhere to lose the ball near the hazard, ie no long grass and/or trees, then IMO if you can't see the ball when you get there it would be virtually certain to be in the hazard, even though you can't see it in there.

 

[duncan mackie]

If you haven't played a provisional, yes. You ARE allowed to play a provisional though if the ball might be lost outside the hazard which sounds possible in this case.

If there were nowhere to lose the ball near the hazard, ie no long grass and/or trees, then IMO if you can't see the ball when you get there it would be virtually certain to be in the hazard, even though you can't see it in there.

you raise the catch 22 of playing the provisional very well in your post.

if you feel the ball might be lost outside the water hazard it's a huge leap to then subsequently claim that it can only be in the water hazard if not found.

areas of semi rough surrounding the margins of water hazards are a huge cause of slowing up play IMO, but unfortunately they are very common - worse still when they are out of sight from the tee!!!

not an impossible leap - just large!

 

[rulefan]

I may be that the WH is hidden over a hill. The player doesn't know what's over there so takes a provisional.
When he gets there he finds clear, closely mown turf running down to and surrounding the WH.

 

[pelican55]

thanks for all the comments,by playing a proviosional ball you really are resigning to the fact and to avoid arguments that your ball is lost outside the hazard

 

[rulefan]

thanks for all the comments,by playing a proviosional ball you really are resigning to the fact and to avoid arguments that your ball is lost outside the hazard

Not quite. The facility to play a provisional is dependent on what is known (or virtually certain) at that time.
It may well be that on arrival at the suspect location, the facts prove to be different.

If it was thought it may be lost outside a WH but is found in or can only be in the water, then there is no problem. The player must simply play under rule 26.