Would you like to go back to five minutes to look for your ball?

[RichA]

I normally give up between minutes 1 and 2 then start looking for my provisional, before I forget where it went.

 

[Backsticks]

Has it really changed in practice though ? Who really times ? Did we eve ? No point revising it again I think, as the overall behaviour isnt affected.

 

[Jimaroid]

Has it really changed in practice though ? Who really times ? Did we eve ? No point revising it again I think, as the overall behaviour isnt affected.

100% it has changed behaviour. People are generally terrible at estimating time.

The old 5 minutes used to get abused because people would think "5 minutes is ages" (it isn't really) and they'd search for more like 7 or 8 minutes causing all sorts of mayhem.

The new 3 minutes gets people moving because people think "3 minutes is not enough time and I've played a provisional anyway" and it's job done.

 

[GB72]

In reality, most people playing their home course know before they start hunting whether a ball is lost or not. In my case, I hit a provisional, have a quick look but if it is not in plain sight then I give up. Life is too short to spend it trecking though knee high grass and brambles. The only ones I know if steadfastly hunt for a ball are those who either did not hit a provisional or those who hit a bad provisional. No need to increase the time, the less the better.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I've noticed PP's hitting far more provisionals than before

 

[phillarrow]

Another thing to think about is who you play with and the format. All of my comps are drawn and nearly all medal stroke play except for a few fun days. The search times and effect on increasing the number of provisional balls in play has made a notable improvement.

If we're talking about the kinds of player that's stuck in the rut of Stableford amongst a group of regular partners the search times have much less meaning. Losing a ball and picking up on a hole is much less penal.

This is a really good point. I've only ever played social golf or Stableford, so I reckon I've never spent more than about 90 seconds looking for a ball. However, if I was playing medal, I'd want the whole 3 minutes. But I still think 3 is enough. As others have said, if you've not found it after 3, you're unlikely to find it after 5...or want to play it if you do find it!

 

[sunshine]

Depends on the course and the time of year. Sometimes it's frustrating when you've only missed the fairway by a few yards in a "safe" place, and you can't find the ball because it's sitting under a leaf. Majority of the time, 3 mins is plenty.

Most frustrating has to be spending 3 mins looking for your ball, then 3 mins looking for your provisional

 

[LincolnShep]

Definitely not. If you haven't found it in three minutes, you probably don't want it!

All golf GPS devices should come with a single button to start a three minute timer.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

If you aren’t going to find it in 3, you probably won’t find it in 5.

Helps speed up play, although some might argue it stops some groups letting others through, coz it’s only 3 minutes

 

[Rlburnside]

It’s only relevant if people actually police it. How many start a timer when looking for a ball? I normally call time but I’ve seen others continue to look well past three minutes to the point where someone else in the group calls it.

3 mins is more like 5, 5 mins is probably closer to 8-10 especially if there’s a card going and a gap between the following group

Good point I must admit I rarely time looking for a ball even in comps but I would guess it’s around the 3 mins, but I suppose that’s not the point. Only noticed a few players timing when looking.

Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone look for a ball 8-10 mins, 3 mins is fine with me.

 

[Crazyface]

Less rough? ? Isn’t it supposed to be a challenge. We would end up like those American resort courses with 500 yard wide fairways (slightly exaggerated but you get my point)

I think 3 mins is enough and as Jim says it has improved general behaviour/awareness of time - certainly with the players I’ve had a game with. More time spent looking at GPS and laser devices now.

I also don’t think the pros should have ball spotters at the likes of the open - it’s not in the spirit of the challenge. Remove the ball spotters and they will have to play courses much differently.

I've been saying this for years. Smashing the ball 300+ meters and then having someone else find it. No one can see where a ball has gone after 250 ish yards maybe less in unfavorable conditions.

 

[phillarrow]

I also don’t think the pros should have ball spotters at the likes of the open - it’s not in the spirit of the challenge. Remove the ball spotters and they will have to play courses much differently.

I agree entirely with this in respect of the skills aspect - those who hit it wildly off line should be penalised in some way in the professional game - but the problem with introducing it would be the pace of play. They are already ridiculously slow in the pro game, taking away ball spotters would lead to it being even worse.

Personally, I would say that at this level of the game, there should be far more out of bounds on more holes, and bring it closer to the fairways, so that wayward shots really are punished. That would hopefully lead to a reduction in length for many holes and help protect the integrity of some of the best courses in the world, without the need for ever-increasing hole length.

 

[Boomy]

I agree entirely with this in respect of the skills aspect - those who hit it wildly off line should be penalised in some way in the professional game - but the problem with introducing it would be the pace of play. They are already ridiculously slow in the pro game, taking away ball spotters would lead to it being even worse.

Yeah, I agree in principal but I also think that if the spotters were taken away they would put more emphasis on keeping the ball in play rather than all out distance without much consequence. It would also encourage them to hit a provisional ball if any doubt, and the search time would be the same as for us (as it is) Keeping the ball in play more, and playing off short grass may actually speed things up in the long run? In my mind the use of spotters is borderline cheating, its not the golfer against the course, it is the golfer and the spotter against the course - yes they have a caddie but they only advise from the side, a spotter fully shows where the ball is, 2 people involved in the execution and conclusions of the shot (I hope that makes sense, I know what I'm trying to say but struggling to put it into words) It would bring distances back a bit, put a premium on accuracy and navigating around a course and stop the ridiculous American 35 under par winning scores (maybe)

 

[Deleted member 30522]

It’s only relevant if people actually police it. How many start a timer when looking for a ball? I normally call time but I’ve seen others continue to look well past three minutes to the point where someone else in the group calls it.

3 mins is more like 5, 5 mins is probably closer to 8-10 especially if there’s a card going and a gap between the following group

I've now started this, most folks at my club are good and have shortened their searches, but there's a couple last year that were taking forever, so now the phone goes on in the pocket and once the beeps go that's it.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Stick with 3mins. I think we are more aware and I am quite comfortable mentioning that we only have 3mins to find it and that the clock has been ticking. 3mins feels like a lot less time than 5mins - and so I think we are more aware and ready to give it up.

I've not noticed play being less bish-bash-bosh given less time to find a ball in the goo...certainly it hasn't come into my thinking, though I can't see inside the minds of others for whom this thinking may apply. And I haven't heard any complaints that 3mins being not long enough or calls to go back to 5.

 

[Larry long dog]

Haven’t read the comments thus far but opted for 5 minutes.

I’ve found now if I hit it somewhere that requires a search, I’ll wait until all my playing partners are with me whereas before I might have just started searching initially on my own. I wouldn’t say it’s sped up play as such, but I can see that less groups are waved through as most sensible folk hit a provisional and 3 minutes searching doesn’t generally warrant a call through.

Not sure if I’ve contradicted myself there ?

 

[jim8flog]

You would still think it is still 10 minutes judging by some I have watched.

 

[Sand Trapped]

Agree with the majority of comments here - hit your provisional, walk ahead of the group to get a start on the search and ''just'' take the 3 minutes. Also, do help out a partner in need - four eyes are better than two!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I've now started this, most folks at my club are good and have shortened their searches, but there's a couple last year that were taking forever, so now the phone goes on in the pocket and once the beeps go that's it.

I have also started to do it in competitions and let my PP's know before we tee off. I've not had any problems although some peoples perception of three minutes is way out. In roll ups we'll usually take a cursory glance for a minute or so and move on

 

[Deleted member 23344]

I agree with all those who say that, if you haven’t found it in three minutes, it’s probably proper lost.