Wrong Ball

[delc]

I managed to play a wrong ball yesterday morning in a Seniors Medal. On the 2nd tee I took out a new ball and added my usual markings to it with a felt tip marker (always use an old ball on the 1st due to a large water hazard on the right and Gorse bushes all down the left hand side). Hooked my drive into the left semi-rough. Walked to where I expected my ball to be, found a ball and hit a superb 4 hybrid to the heart of the green. At this point a gent appeared over the bank which separates the 1st and 2nd fairways and asked if anyone had seen his ball. Then I realised there was another ball lying about 10 yards further on and it was mine. Instant 2 shot penalty! I showed the other player where to place a substitute ball and then played another pretty good shot into the green with my ball using a 5 hybrid this time and 2 putted from the fringe. Really a 4, but a 6 had to go on my card! Felt like a right pillock for not checking the ball. BTW I wasn't the only one: there were a number of wrong ball incidents in this comp, including a guy who would have come 3rd and won a voucher if he hadn't incurred a 2 shot penalty. Shows you can't be too careful.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Always check your ball, even if it is the middle of the fairway with no other balls in sight. There is no excuse for ever playing the wrong ball - ever.

 

[Slab]

Did it once and will never do it again

Coincidentally I hear Titleist are bringing out an App that you can use to scan your ball prior to 1st tee and you can point the phone at it during the round (as if taking a photo) and it'll confirm if its yours from around 6ft away!
Only for Pro-V1's though due to the high number you would need to go through in order to find two with identical dimple patterns

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Did it once and will never do it again

Coincidentally I hear Titleist are bringing out an App that you can use to scan your ball prior to 1st tee and you can point the phone at it during the round (as if taking a photo) and it'll confirm if its yours from around 6ft away!
Only for Pro-V1's though due to the high number you would need to go through in order to find two with identical dimple patterns

And Cadbury are bringing out an equally useful chocolate teapot

 

[Jack_bfc]

Did it once and will never do it again

Coincidentally I hear Titleist are bringing out an App that you can use to scan your ball prior to 1st tee and you can point the phone at it during the round (as if taking a photo) and it'll confirm if its yours from around 6ft away!
Only for Pro-V1's though due to the high number you would need to go through in order to find two with identical dimple patterns

Won't be able to use a phone app incase it accidentally informs you of the air pressure, wind direction and speed and other useless information.

 

[CMAC]

Did it once and will never do it again

Coincidentally I hear Titleist are bringing out an App that you can use to scan your ball prior to 1st tee and you can point the phone at it during the round (as if taking a photo) and it'll confirm if its yours from around 6ft away!
Only for Pro-V1's though due to the high number you would need to go through in order to find two with identical dimple patterns

:rofl:

 

[CliveW]

So you hit another player's ball, and showed him where to place a substitute ball. Did you not give him a replacement or return his original ball? I would be pretty narked if someone hit my ball and didn't offer to give me a new one in return!

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Happened to me in a medal last year. Same make of ball, same number, but the rough it was lying in obscured someone else's markings.

I took a ten rather than a six though :|

 

[delc]

So you hit another player's ball, and showed him where to place a substitute ball. Did you not give him a replacement or return his original ball? I would be pretty narked if someone hit my ball and didn't offer to give me a new one in return!

One of my playing companions was on a buggy and went and retrieved his ball. Otherwise I would have arranged to leave it on the next tee, or hand it back when we were on adjacent fairways. A 180 yard walk each way to retrieve it would have slowed down play too much.

 

[Chisteve]

I had a similar experience off 1st tee in my 1st roll up

Didn't hit a very good shot that went near a bunker, one of my playing partners said there's your ball in the bunker, had a quick look was the same ball as mine with a red mark on it as mine - but I didn't look closely enough played it then found my ball on the green - school boy error always check your ball would of been par for 3 points instead no score

My playing partner was most apologetic, but it was not his fault - all mine

Lesson learned

Steve

 

[c1973]

I managed to play a wrong ball yesterday morning in a Seniors Medal. On the 2nd tee I took out a new ball and added my usual markings to it with a felt tip marker (always use an old ball on the 1st due to a large water hazard on the right and Gorse bushes all down the left hand side). Hooked my drive into the left semi-rough. Walked to where I expected my ball to be, found a ball and hit a superb 4 hybrid to the heart of the green. At this point a gent appeared over the bank which separates the 1st and 2nd fairways and asked if anyone had seen his ball. Then I realised there was another ball lying about 10 yards further on and it was mine. Instant 2 shot penalty! I showed the other player where to place a substitute ball and then played another pretty good shot into the green with my ball using a 5 hybrid this time and 2 putted from the fringe. Really a 4, but a 6 had to go on my card! Felt like a right pillock for not checking the ball. BTW I wasn't the only one: there were a number of wrong ball incidents in this comp, including a guy who would have come 3rd and won a voucher if he hadn't incurred a 2 shot penalty. Shows you can't be too careful.

School boy error there or a senior moment. I've never played the wrong ball (yet) but I have come close, only realising at the last moment.

 

[sev112]

Not quite the same
In an away match, hit my approach through the green into some deep rough
Took a provisional and hit into an approach bunker.
Opponent went to the back of th green, shouted "found it, pick your provisional up" (or similar)
Picked up provisional, walked to the back of green and it wasn't my ball; couldn't find mine. Lost hole

 

[delc]

Not quite the same
In an away match, hit my approach through the green into some deep rough
Took a provisional and hit into an approach bunker.
Opponent went to the back of th green, shouted "found it, pick your provisional up" (or similar)
Picked up provisional, walked to the back of green and it wasn't my ball; couldn't find mine. Lost hole

In one four ball better ball match a couple of years ago, my partner and one opponent managed to hit each others balls on the 14th hole and were out of that hole. Then on the last hole we were 1 up with 1 to play. Both opponents hit their ball into the semi-rough on the left. The first opponent hit a ball and then found his own ball a few yards further on. He had hit his partner's ball. He immediately conceded the match, even though his partner could have replaced his original or a substitute ball where it lay and continued. I did try to point this out, but he would have none of it, and at the end of the day I cannot refuse a concession in matchplay under the rules of golf. To be fair to him, they were both playing the same make of ball, one with a black felt tip R marking on it and the other with a black felt tip P mark - their initials. As the ball lay, only the top of the initial was visible, and of course they would have looked the same.

 

[williamalex1]

Only to be expected on the senior circuit and it gets worse as you get older. now what were we talking about.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Always check my ball these days. Had someone using the same make and model last week. Ended up changing my ball as no one had a sharpie to add any additional ID marks.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Always check my ball these days. Had someone using the same make and model last week. Ended up changing my ball as no one had a sharpie to add any additional ID marks.

So you have poo tablets and enough drugs to keep a druggie happy but no sharpie ?!

 

[Grantley1988]

I managed to play a wrong ball yesterday morning in a Seniors Medal. On the 2nd tee I took out a new ball and added my usual markings to it with a felt tip marker (always use an old ball on the 1st due to a large water hazard on the right and Gorse bushes all down the left hand side). Hooked my drive into the left semi-rough. Walked to where I expected my ball to be, found a ball and hit a superb 4 hybrid to the heart of the green. At this point a gent appeared over the bank which separates the 1st and 2nd fairways and asked if anyone had seen his ball. Then I realised there was another ball lying about 10 yards further on and it was mine. Instant 2 shot penalty! I showed the other player where to place a substitute ball and then played another pretty good shot into the green with my ball using a 5 hybrid this time and 2 putted from the fringe. Really a 4, but a 6 had to go on my card! Felt like a right pillock for not checking the ball. BTW I wasn't the only one: there were a number of wrong ball incidents in this comp, including a guy who would have come 3rd and won a voucher if he hadn't incurred a 2 shot penalty. Shows you can't be too careful.

.

I find this this really strange. My mate does the same on a few holes at my course with water on. Surely it's not good for self confidence

 

[Noidea]

Apologies for being off tangent on this, but the other week drove 200 yards barely a few yards onto the next fairway as both holes ran parallel, the group on that hole landed in exactly the same area. I am adament they picked my ball up/stole it-my pp said drop another without penalty as we both agreed it was in play.What is the official rule on this ?.

 

[williamalex1]

Apologies for being off tangent on this, but the other week drove 200 yards barely a few yards onto the next fairway as both holes ran parallel, the group on that hole landed in exactly the same area. I am adament they picked my ball up/stole it-my pp said drop another without penalty as we both agreed it was in play.What is the official rule on this ?.

If no one saw them actually take the ball, i would say its a lost ball and back to play 3 off the tee. But the experts will be along shortly.

 

[delc]

Apologies for being off tangent on this, but the other week drove 200 yards barely a few yards onto the next fairway as both holes ran parallel, the group on that hole landed in exactly the same area. I am adament they picked my ball up/stole it-my pp said drop another without penalty as we both agreed it was in play.What is the official rule on this ?.

Rule 18-1. If a ball at rest is moved (or stolen) by an outside agency the ball may be replaced without penalty. If the ball cannot be recovered another ball may be substituted. Other playing groups are outside agencies. However you have to know or be virtually certain that they have picked up your ball. Otherwise it is a lost ball and Rule 27-1 applies.