Poll: Lost Ball, What Do You Do?

**MrSandman** · July 2, 2008

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FIRST OPTION IS GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL HITTING POSITION AND HITTING ANOTHER SHOT. There was not enough room to fit that all in the option.

I'm not talking about the ones you fire into the woods and should assume are lost. I'm talking about the ones that you thought you would find, did not hit a provisional, spent 5 minutes looking for in the rough or around the green, and just could not find. And assume it is a Saturday round, you do not have the course to yourself.

**Dent** · July 2, 2008

Drop from where the ball went into the woods, a club length away from the woods, penalties, resume play. I couldn't care less if the group behind is waiting. I dont walk back to the tee box.

**Lemay427** · July 2, 2008

Drop from where the ball went into the woods, a club length away from the woods, penalties, resume play. I couldn't care less if the group behind is waiting.

You didnt read the question. He is talking about a lost ball that you thought was in play at the tee box..This can happen a lot especially with blind tee shots and high rough.

Personally, I play it as a lateral hazard and choose the nearest spot where I think I lost it. I know its wrong but speed of play has to be taken into consideration when playing on the weekend. For the people that worry so much about their handicap and tracking it, I dont know because you didnt play exactly by the rules. Side note: My buddy and I were playing in a non charity competitive two man scramble. We both hit our drives and thought they were in play. We couldnt find them. We then proceeded back to the tees and the group on the tee was like "WTF". Some people do not know the rules.

**MrSandman** · July 2, 2008

The rules say you are supposed to go back to the original hitting position, not drop where it went into the woods.

Your approach seems reasonable in terms of pace of play. You do not go back to the original hitting position.

That makes sense, Lemay. Often our group will allow a player to do that, but they are out of the hole for purposes of the match. Sometimes I will just drop a ball and play it out, then take my max score on the hole (double). I will only go back if I think reloading will have some impact on the match (we are still in the hole), and I am not going to be slowing down the course.

If it is a competative stroke play event, you have to go back to the tee. The difference in this situation is the people behind you should understand what is going on and you don't have to worry about slowing up the round, etc... But I'm talking about your normal round, even if it is for your handicap purposes.

**Harry Longshanks** · July 2, 2008

This is funny. I actually wrote the USGA to ask this question when I first started playing and lost balls were more common for me. Like the scenario here, I was concerned about balancing accurate handicapping with undue delay.

First, let me say that I always try to hit a provisional if I have any suspicion that my original ball is OB/lost. But, of course, sometimes we all make mistakes. The response from the USGA was

In regard to your earlier question regarding your "lost ball" for handicap posting purposes you would record your "Most Likely Score" for that hole, since you started the hole but did not finish it - assuming you picked up or moved on to keep up with the Pace of Play. If you don't start/play the hole then for handicap posting purposes you record Par plus any handicap strokes you are entitled to for your score on that hole. I would suggest reviewing Section 5 - Scores in the USGA Handicap System manual which is available online at www.USGA.org under the Handicap page. Thank you.

So, in order to determine my "Most Likely Score", I play the lost ball as a lateral hazard and drop nearest to the spot where the ball was lost and take an

additional penalty stroke (2 total). I figure that's the best way because whether I use stroke and distance or lateral hazard with a drop, my ball is now laying 3 (assuming the lost ball shot was from the tee and that I would have hit the stroke and distance shot to roughly the same spot.)

**GaijinGolfer** · July 3, 2008

Id drop the ball in the vicinity of where I thought it landed, take a penalty stroke and finish the hole.
Ive had that happen to me many times. If after 5 minutes I cant find my ball, I declare it lost, take my drop, take a penalty stroke and move on.

**Craig Mac** · July 3, 2008

Hard to answer definitively due to the fact my first choice would be to go back to the tee, however on a busy Saturday/Sunday at most courses I play, the group on the tee would probably raise a stink. On a busy day I would probably drop in the general vicinity take a penalty and play the hole out. I know this may not be proper but that's what the guys in my group would insist upon rather than holding up play. These all under the condition that I didn't hit a provisional as stated by your original question. I can't remember the last time I was in this situation though, usually at the courses I play I know wether it is findable or not, and I'm not scared to hit a provisional if I feel it may be a goner.

**GaijinGolfer** · July 3, 2008

This raises the question though, what about the course that have a strict rule of only playing 1 ball?
On the course that I usually play, right on the first tee it has a sign with some general rules such as no alchohol on the premesis, let faster players though and it also says in big, bold letters, "ONLY PLAY 1 BALL".
If you hit a provisional ball and you get caught doing it, you can bet that you will be asked to leave.

**Craig Mac** · July 3, 2008

This raises the question though, what about the course that have a strict rule of only playing 1 ball?

I am not pointing this at you but at the course policy. That is completely absurd, you are well within the rules of golf to hit a provisional ball. I can understand if it means not playing two balls throughout the entire hole or not allowing you to reload because you duffed one or something like that, but to not be able to hit a provisional??? That is rediculious!!!

***iacas*** · July 3, 2008

This raises the question though, what about the course that have a strict rule of only playing 1 ball?

I highly doubt that.

There's a difference between playing a provisional and hitting three shots to every green while the group behind you waits.

**GaijinGolfer** · July 3, 2008

I am not pointing this at you but at the course policy. That is completely absurd, you are well within the rules of golf to hit a provisional ball. I can understand if it means not playing two balls throughout the entire hole or not allowing you to reload because you duffed one or something like that, but to not be able to hit a provisional??? That is rediculious!!!

I highly doubt that.

I agree, but I could see where a course marshall could see you hit 1 ball, then see you hit another and think you are playing multiple balls.

Youd think that they would watch you on the next hole and see if you merely hit a provisional or are playing multiple balls, but I could see some of them taking the opportunity to use what little authority they have. Thats why Id personally go out to where you think your ball went and if you cant find it, take a drop, take a penalty stroke and finish the hole. It just avoids any possibility of having to deal with all that drama.

**MrSandman** · July 3, 2008

This raises the question though, what about the course that have a strict rule of only playing 1 ball?

Nobody should ask you to leave if you are playing a provisional.

If you are playing provisionals when your first shot is clearly in view, they may have a gripe. But if you are hitting an honest provisional, and they complain, I would say, "if you don't think my first one is lost, why don't you give me a ride up there and we'll take a look for it?"

**GaijinGolfer** · July 3, 2008

Nobody should ask you to leave if you are playing a provisional.

Thats really dependent upon whether the marshall believes you or thinks you are feeding him/her a line of BS.

Some might be cool about it and give you the benefit of the doubt, others might not...

**Craig Mac** · July 3, 2008

But if you are hitting an honest provisional, and they complain, I would say, "if you don't think my first one is lost, why don't you give me a ride up there and we'll take a look for it?"

and maybe a few other choice words for calling you out too

**Soup Fan** · July 3, 2008

Sometimes I will hit a provisional if I know for sure I am unplayable but more often than not I look for it and take a drop at the approximate location it went oscar bravo.

I always take a penalty stroke.

**Fourputt** · July 3, 2008

This raises the question though, what about the course that have a strict rule of only playing 1 ball?

Quite frankly, I don't think that the sign has any intent to prevent playing a provisional ball when it's indicated. It's there to prevent the players who routinely play a second ball, whether for practice or as a mulligan, from slowing down the field. I've never, ever, heard of a course that would deny a player the right to play a provisional ball under the rules. My course is as busy as any course I've ever heard of, and they not only allow it, they encourage it.

It's automatic for me.... if I ht a shot that has a chance to be lost or out of bounds I will always play a provisional ball. I can't remember the last time I had to return to the tee box in a tournament because I lost a ball and didn't have a provisional in play.

**lamebums** · July 3, 2008

If I can't find it I either a) play it as if it were a lateral if it were woods or b) drop a ball where I thought it went, take my penalty stroke, and move on. No point in holding up the foursome behind you on what is already probably a really long day.

***iacas*** · July 3, 2008

Sometimes I will hit a provisional if I know for sure I am unplayable but more often than not I look for it and take a drop at the approximate location it went oscar bravo.

But you don't take the "distance" part?

Unplayable and OB are two different things, too.

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Poll: Lost Ball, What Do You Do?

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1. You lose a ball you thought would be in play, you did not hit a provisional

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