lost my ball in a green side bunker

[clearwaterms]

Last weekend I was playing with a friend and after my drive I was left with a wedge into the green. I hit my wedge but it drifted off line and ended up just off the green on th edge of the bunker. I was okay with that because I figured I would make at worst bogey (I am a bogey golfer, so a bogey is just fine with me) and at best could possibly get up and down for a par. I got to the green and coulnd't find my ball. My playing partner and I were CERTAIN that because the sand was very soft it was probably just below the surface.

We gave up looking for it, and I dropped one, chipped on and sunk the putt for an up and down. My question to you is this. So two questions. A has anybody ever lost a ball in a bunker, and B. If this were an official round, would I be able to move around the sand in an attempt to find my ball? Or if the ball is fully submerged in the sand, what am I supposed to do?

[Fourputt]

You are allowed to use a rake or other such object to probe for your ball in the sand without penalty. If the ball moves it must be replaced and the original lie recreated, except that you are allowed to see a small part of the ball. In other words, the ball must be almost completely reburied.

[snowyowl]

clearwaterms,

Firstly, whenever you lose a ball anywhere, you have to proceed under penalty of stroke and distance. That is, you return to where you played the previous stroke from, add a penalty stroke to your score and continue (you need to count the stroke you made when you lost the ball too).

Rule 12-1 covers searches for balls and what is allowed. A ball thought to be buried in sand is covered by this rule. You can probe and rake the sand (a club, rake or excavator are fine to use according to the rules) to remove as much sand as will allow you to see the ball. If you remove too much, you need to replace the sand so that only a part of the ball is visible. If the ball is moved during your search, there is no penalty, and you replace and re-cover the ball if necessary.

Hope this helps - Snowyowl

[kpaulhus]

I lost a ball in a bunker once, but the bunker was full of water. I bet when it dried up someone found my ProV1x.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Ive lost a ball like that. Its very frustrating. Especially if you see the damn thing land in it.

[clearwaterms]

clearwaterms,

I am aware of the stroke and distance, but as this wasn't a formal round, we were not playing for money and it was twilight golf we were trying to finish as quickly as possible. The amount of time it would have taken me to return to the spot, drop, preshot routine, shoot, and finally return to the green was not convienant. It was easier to just take a penalty stroke drop close to where it was assumed lost (because I didn't think I could disturb the sand) and continue on with the round.

It is good to know that I can use a rake to attempt to locate the ball. If I elect to use a club, and I end up having to drop, am I allowed to return the sand back to the closest condition possible prior to me locating the ball? IE, if I make it all lumpy with several tracks, am I allowed to smooth it out with a rake, drop and cover my ball and then proceed with the shot?

[clearwaterms]

I lost a ball in a bunker once, but the bunker was full of water. I bet when it dried up someone found my ProV1x.

I have always played that water in a trap is ground under repair and you can take a free drop no closer to the hole (providing your ball is in the puddle) is that the correct way to play?

[kpaulhus]

I dont remember what I did. I saw it splash. It was deep though and I couldn't get it with the rake. I think I just replayed the shot from the same spot in the fairway.

[snowyowl]

I am aware of the stroke and distance...

Good to know you are aware of S&D.;

What you disturb when you are searching for the ball won't be able to be replaced. It is only the area where the ball lies that you disturb that will mean replacing in the similar lie. So you are of stance maybe a little disturbed, but you won't be able to rake it. BTW, you won't be dropping your ball. You will be replacing it where it lay, and re-cover with sand until only a small part of the ball is visible. Hope this helps - Snowyowl

[Fourputt]

I have always played that water in a trap is ground under repair and you can take a free drop no closer to the hole (providing your ball is in the puddle) is that the correct way to play?

You are entitled to relief from casual water in a bunker, however you must drop in the bunker and not closer to the hole than where the ball lies in the water, and at a point where you get complete relief from the casual water. If that is not possible, this is one case where you may take the maximum available relief rather than complete relief, meaning that your ball can still be in shallow water, or you can be standing in water to play the shot. If none of these options are possible or desirable you may also drop outside of the bunker under penalty of one stroke, keeping the point where the ball lay in the bunker between you and the hole.