I have always understood it is good to help others search for their balls, but see nothing requiring it in the 2008 Rules of Golf. Lately had an experience in a threesome where the solo player hit a drive off into some weeds to the right behind a hill. We both looked for his ball but he went far ahead thinking the ball was further up as he did not see it. After a few minutes he just yelled he would just drop and hit, hitting three (not legal), but no game or bet going on). He hit but we could not see him hit or the fact he yet again hit right, this time into the woods. We then played our shots to the green but then saw he was looking for his ball in the woods and we then drove up to the the green. This guy blows up on the green stating we were wrong not to help him look for his (second) ball and quits the round. Any thoughts?

I help guys out but I'm not gonna spend 10 minutes looking for a ball if he's gonna be hacking it up the entire hole. I don't see why he didn't just drop another ball like the first one.

Sounds to me he was having a bad game, getting frustrated and unknowingly (or knowingly) taking it out you guys. Or he's just a jack@ss.

Sounds to me like he wanted an excuse to get off the course. I can't imagine anyone ever getting that stressed about such a thing. Sure it's polite to help someone look, but if you didn't see it, or even realise that it was in there in the first place, I wouldn't take issue with that.

You are not obligated to help someone find their ball or obligated to even tell them if you do find it, but it's kind of a unwritten rule because you would want them to help you, wouldn't you? Look for 5 minutes then go on with it!