Lost Ball / Out of Bounds

[Saig55]

Are these treated as the same? You go back to where you last hit the ball?

Can you hit a provisional if you think it is out or lost?

I had a difference of opinion with a fellow golfer.

[zrlaegel]

try looking in the usga rulebook or on their website. it will end most disputes

[Saig55]

Wel I did look and found it to be clear as mud. I believe it says you go back to hit where you previously hit that shot whether the ball is lost or out of bounds.
Just looking for confirmation.

I was told I can drop where the ball went into the woods.

[Fourputt]

Are these treated as the same? You go back to where you last hit the ball?

Yes to both questions. If you do play a provisional ball and then find the original ball in bounds, the Rule says that your provisional ball must be abandoned, even if that means that your only option is to declare the original ball unplayable and return to the tee again. You can only continue play with the provisional ball if you either don't find the original ball. or if you find it out of bounds. See Rule 27.

[zeg]

You can only continue play with the provisional ball if you either don't find the original ball. or if you find it out of bounds.

Which includes the case that you don't even bother looking for it (and don't happen upon it while walking to your provisional).

[iacas]

Wel I did look and found it to be clear as mud. I believe it says you go back to hit where you previously hit that shot whether the ball is lost or out of bounds.

Source: Rules of Golf (27-2) If a ball may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds , to save time the player may play another ball provisionally in accordance with Rule 27-1. The player must inform his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball, and he must play it before he or his partner goes forward to search for the original ball.

Rule 27-1 says "if your ball is lost or OB, proceed with a penalty of stroke (add another one) and distance (go back to where you last hit your ball)." Seems rather clear to me. You have some kind of clear mud down there in Tennessee that we don't know about?

[NormH3]

I thought I heard a commentator this wekend say that if a ball is OB, it can't be lost. Even if it is..

Out of bounds is out of bounds

[Fourputt]

I thought I heard a commentator this wekend say that if a ball is OB, it can't be lost. Even if it is..

Certainly it can be lost... in the meaning that it isn't found and you don't know exactly where it lies out of bounds.

It just isn't treated as a lost ball under the Rules of Golf. Which really doesn't matter since the penalty and procedure is the same for ball lost or ball out of bounds, only the terminology is different.

[sacm3bill]

I thought I heard a commentator this wekend say that if a ball is OB, it can't be lost. Even if it is..

I'm not sure if that's true or not, but since the options for a lost ball are always exactly the same as OB, making such a distinction would be pointless anyway.

If you're thinking of the HSBC tournament when Anthony Kim hit out of a hazard, I think what the commentator said was "You can't declare a ball lost in a hazard ." This was a response to the other commentator who, when the ball didn't come out of the hazard and neither could it initially be seen, remarked "He'll have to play it as a lost ball now if he can't find it". The other announcer then pointed out that you can't declare a ball lost if you know it's inside a hazard. Kim would've had to take a drop using the rules applicable to hazards (dropping outside the hazard, using the point where the ball first crossed the hazard - 2 shots prior - as a reference.) I.e., he could not have proceeded under the lost ball rule and dropped a ball in the hazard - he could've only done that if the ball had been known to have been lost outside that hazard or any other.

[NormH3]

I'm not sure if that's true or not, but since the options for a lost ball are always exactly the same as OB, making such a distinction would be pointless anyway.

That was it. Thanks for the clarification. I stand corrected.

[NormH3]

Certainly it can be lost... in the meaning that it isn't found and you don't know exactly where it lies out of bounds.

Well..I won't argue the point. Never argue about religion, politics or the rules of golf.

[Saig55]

Sorry I brought up about the mud, with all the rain down here...but that's another story.

I thought I knew the rules about this but when it was explained to me wrongly, is that a word, I doubted what I knew.

With all the leaves in the fairway here, I lost 2 balls right smack dab in the middle of the fairway.

[Lefty22]

Sorry I brought up about the mud, with all the rain down here...but that's another story.

I lost one just sort of the green on a PAR THREE last weekend. I don't carry a rake as part of my 14 but I'm thinking it might be a stroke saver the next few weeks...

I play at Stonebridge a LOT (member and I only live 3.5 miles away). If you are playing over there and want some company shoot me a message and we'll get together. Thinking about sneaking away from work to play right now...

[Ignorant]

If you're thinking of the HSBC tournament when Anthony Kim hit out of a hazard, I think what the commentator said was "You can't declare a ball lost in a

That is not totally correct, a player always has the option to play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (Rule 27-1 and 20-5). This option is

always available, even if the ball has been struck in the hazard and lost anywhere on the course (hazard or not). 27-1 a. Proceeding Under Stroke and Distance At any time, a player may, under penalty of one stroke, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5), i.e. proceed under penalty of stroke and distance. Except as otherwise provided in the Rules, if a player makes a stroke at a ball from the spot at which the original ball was last played, he is deemed to have proceeded under penalty of stroke and distance. 20-5. Making Next Stroke from Where Previous Stroke Made When a player elects or is required to make his next stroke from where a previous stroke was made, he must proceed as follows:' . . (c) In a Hazard:The ball to be played must be dropped and when dropped must first strike a part of the course in the hazard.

[sacm3bill]

That is not totally correct, a player always has the option to play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played.

You're right, thanks for the correction. In fact rule 26-2 specifically covers this situation:

26-2. Ball Played Within Water Hazard a. Ball Comes to Rest in Same or Another Water Hazard If a ball played from within a water hazard comes to rest in the same or another water hazard after the stroke, the player may: (i) proceed under Rule 26-1a. ... 26-1. Relief for Ball in Water Hazard ...the player may under penalty of one stroke: a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played...

[kfowler]

For you guys who play near large hardware areas, how do you play it when you hit a ball down the fairway and you can't find it due to the leaves that have fallen? This is pretty common in Michigan during this time of the year. I guess that's why our HCP season ended last weekend.

[Bogey ball]

yea, i believe the ruling there would be played the same.