'virtually certain' that it's your ball

[Moxley]

Playing a practice round recently I hit my ball left just off the fairway into a bushey area. Didn't see ball initially, but then looking down into a large animal burrow I a nice shiny new ball resting in there about a metre in. I didn't have a ball retriever , and didn't fancy scrambling on hands and knees to try and prize it or identify it, so I just took relief and carried on. However, it did occur to me that in an official game that it wouldn't meet 'virtually certain' and I'd have to consider it lost if I couldn't get the ball or prove it was mine.

Just wondering, in this situation where a ball can be seen in an unreachable situation (not OOB) , in the area where fellow players saw the ball roughly go, what would constitute 'virtually certain' : 

a) Identification of ball based on brand & number

b) Identification of players personal markings 

c) unique colouring of a ball, such as the funky wilson colours, or a truvis ball (which I sometimes play).

d) any ball in the absence of another reasonable explanation of where the players ball could be other than where the seen ball is.

I'm guessing only situation b would suffice here, which would highlight the importance of clear personal markings that can be seen from all angles on the ball? 

[HonestyPolicy]

Very interesting. I can not find anywhere in rule 12 the use of the words "virtually certain" so as you say you either must identify it or consider it a lost ball. I think that either a or b would suffice for it's identification and I'm not sure about your other options c and d because I can't find anything about them. Option a would be OK if you read decisions 12-2/1 where it says it's ok to identify a ball by model and number as long as 1- the condition of the ball makes it obvious it's not yours, or 2- that another ball with only model and number on it in the same condition was not found in the same area. 

I'll be interested to see what others think about your options c and d.

And, in this instance, and in an official game as you say, I believe it would be especially in your best interest to identify it because if it is your ball, it is 1- "on the course" and 2- "in a cast or runway caused by a burrowing animal" meeting the definition of an abnormal ground condition and allowing you relief under rule 25-1. I'm not sure that a free drop within one club length no closer to the hole would have gotten you out of trouble, but just in case it's a good side note.

 

   

[Fourputt]

I agree with the OP - barring any other way of being certain, only "b" fully satisfies the requirement under the rules.  Unless you are the only one on that course who has ever played that brand of ball, just identifying it by brand and number is not always sufficient.  I find lots of balls from most brands that have been previously lost, so just assuming that a ball is yours because of brand and number won't fly in a competition. 

What if you see 2 balls in the burrow, but can only see the number on one of them?  One way to be certain... put your own identification mark on the ball.  I also carry a retriever for just such instances.  I don't fish for other balls, but I have been able to use it to retrieve and identify my ball from some otherwise unreachable spots, and not always in water.  I've done the same for fellow competitors who thought that carrying a retriever was "uncool".  It's just another tool, and I find value in having it in my bag.

[HonestyPolicy]

26 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

I agree with the OP - barring any other way of being certain, only "b" fully satisfies the requirement under the rules.  Unless you are the only one on that course who has ever played that brand of ball, just identifying it by brand and number is not always sufficient.  I find lots of balls from most brands that have been previously lost, so just assuming that a ball is yours because of brand and number won't fly in a competition. 

What if you see 2 balls in the burrow, but can only see the number on one of them?  One way to be certain... put your own identification mark on the ball.  I also carry a retriever for just such instances.  I don't fish for other balls, but I have been able to use it to retrieve and identify my ball from some otherwise unreachable spots, and not always in water.  I've done the same for fellow competitors who thought that carrying a retriever was "uncool".  It's just another tool, and I find value in having it in my bag.

I agree that placing a mark on your ball is the preferred method, but see below from the USGA Decisions;

LIFTING BALL FOR IDENTIFICATION

12-2/1

Identifying Ball by Brand, Model and Number Only

Q.In the area in which his ball presumably came to rest, a player finds a ball of the same brand, model and identification number as the ball he is playing. The player assumes it is his ball, even though it does not carry an identification mark as suggested in Rule 12-2, and plays it. Should the player be considered to have played a wrong ball?

A.No, unless (1) there is clear evidence that, because of the ball's condition, it is not the player's ball or (2) subsequently it is established that another ball of the same brand, model and identification number was lying in the area at the time the player played and either ball, from a condition standpoint, could be the player's ball.

Not sure I like it, but there it is..........

 

[Patch]

On another note. Some courses have local course rules about situations like this. 

There is a course up in Cedar City, Utah that has a large population of Prairie Dogs. If you think, or know for sure your ball is in a Prairie Dogs' hole you can't retrieve it. You just drop a ball, and play on. No penalty. The Prairie Dogs', and their burrows are protected. 

The town of Mesquite, in Southern Nevada has courses that run through protected, environmentally sensitive areas. You are not allow look for balls past the fairway roughs. Again, you drop a ball, and play on. With out penalty. 

Always best to check about local rules as needed. 

Edited June 21, 2018 by Patch

[Fourputt]

Prairie dogs are protected?  Why?  They certainly aren't threatened.  I'd be hesitant to stick my hand in a prairie dog burrow because they are known to be infested with fleas which can carry plague, but aside from that they are purely a pest around here.  They are usually eradicated in a very lethal manner when they move onto anyone's land.

[iacas]

7 hours ago, Fourputt said:

I agree with the OP - barring any other way of being certain, only "b" fully satisfies the requirement under the rules.  Unless you are the only one on that course who has ever played that brand of ball, just identifying it by brand and number is not always sufficient.

12-2/1 says you're wrong. 😉

7 hours ago, Fourputt said:

One way to be certain... put your own identification mark on the ball.

That only works if your mark is facing you. If your ball is stuck in a tree but through your laser rangefinder you can identify your ball, you can still proceed under unplayable or other applicable rules (GUR, etc.)… even if you can't see your mark but can identify your ball.