Durring our round yesterday my friend hit his drive a push to the right but inbounds. We both clearly knew the area where the ball landed. We get over there and can't find his ball after looking for 5 minutes.

The rules state (27-1) that a lost ball is stroke and distance. I just told him to drop in the area and take a 2 stroke penalty rather than going back and hitting again.

So what do you or would you do in this case? I never see people go back and replay a shot on a lost ball.

When it is close always hit a provisional...otherwise the walk of shame is yours to take.

+1

If you don't hit a provisional and decide to incur in a 2 stroke penalty, what are the rules about dropping a ball?

Another question, if I see off the tee that my ball is OB, can I choose to not hit another one from the tee?

The Rule is that you are disqualified.

There is no allowance for a 2 shot penalty drop for a lost ball. Walking back is the only option if you have not played a provisional.

No

I think this is probably the most often violated rule I see in reguar everyday play. As mentioned, if I think my ball even has a chance of being lost or OB, I hit a provisional. If I'm playing a friendly match with no stakes or anything involved and a playing partner ask me where to drop in such a case, I say "The rule on a lost ball is to retee" and just him decide what to do. If there is money on the line or anything, I'll ask on the tee if he wants to hit a provisional, kind of dropping the hint that he'll be coming back if he doesn't find it.

All the previous responses are correct. But if you're in a public course (and not in a tournament) where there's tons of play, what you describe is what actually happens.

You're playing a casual round with your buddy on the weekend... Exactly what are you disqualified FROM?

I usually have a match going against somebody. If it comes to losing the ball in bounds and there are people behind us, I'd probably just concede the hole and play out from where the ball was lost. If nobody was behind us and there was a chance I'm still in the hole, I'll go back.

Now, obviously, in a tourney, you ALWAYS go back. And the people behind you won't question you.

You do that on a packed public course on a Saturday morning, you'll have more WTF looks thrown your way then you've had in a year.

I totally agree with you on this. But his ball was clearly in bounds in the rough and we just never found it, otherwise he would of hit a provisional.

I agree that this is probably one of the most violated rules...

PS. No money was on the line and we were on 18 and trying to finish before dark.

It's really quite a dilemma. While I play by the rules to the best of my ability and knowledge. I certainly don't try and be a rule nazi during rounds. I can understand where you're coming from and anything that keeps me waiting less time on the tee is OK with me

There's been an alternative approach posed here before-play a new ball from where ball most likely lost or ob-2 stroke penalty for minor breach of rule 27-1 (stroke and distance). Hit dropped ball-2 stroke penalty for playing incorrect ball-so a 4 stroke total penalty for not taking stroke and distance on lost or OB ball.

Probably wouldn't fly in tournament play because of the use of the minor breach of rule penalty but for casual play it should be fairly kosher.

Perfectly put.

If the score is going towards a handicap, tourny rules also apply.

What about if the provisional ball looks a bit iffy too? Can you hit another provisional?

I really don't get why more people don't play provisionals. It's a free chance to take a correct swing and get yourself more confident at least for the next hole. I played a tournament last weekend and two holes in a row some guy had to come back to the tee, while we waited, and hit another one. I'm thinking "why can't this guy just hit a provisional to start with?". I mean, this was after he and the other 3 players in his group spent five minutes in the woods. If the ball goes into the woods, or even tall grass, just hit another one. It takes like 45 seconds.

Yes, so long as you declare properly and are able to identify which of the list of provisional balls you eventually find and play on with.

Let's say you decide to play your second provisional, how many strokes have you taken so far?

Which is why, when Larrybud does this, he'll take a double bogey on the hole for handicap purposes.

You're now laying 5. However, lets say you get down to where the balls are and you find your first provisional and are able to identify it as the 1st provisonal you may play it you'll be laying 3 in that case and can pick up the 2nd provisional.

Thanks Carolina.

With lost balls and/or balls hit OB, ESC rules for posting kick in pretty darn quick (at least for low handicappers) - so tourney rules tend to NOT apply in those cases. I hit a ball OB or lose a ball and I'm posting a double bogey close to every time (and no way am I going back to the tee on a busy/crowded course unless the competition that I am involved in requires it).

dave

ps. I played with a guy in a competitive event that had a maximum score limit of 2 x par. I was keeping score and my cart partner got into all kinds of trouble on a par 3 taking a 7.

I told him "Tom, I think that is an 18". He gave me a combo quizzical/dirty look and I said - "your posting score is 5, your competition score is 6, and your golf score is 7 for a total of 18".

He didn't seem to have much of a sense of humor.

Two things: You haven't told me what I've been DQ'ed from when playing a casual round... Secondly, tourney rules don't apply for handicapping purposes. There's a specific section in the USGA handicapping manual about holes "Not played under the rules of golf". I can play 15 holes, get rained out the remaining 3, and still post a score for handicap purposes.

But the fact of the matter is that if I hit a ball OB, I'm most likely making double or worse. And double is my max for handicapping purposes.

It may not be totally kosher but the guys I play with have two sets of rules on this.

Competition Days = stroke and distance so if you've not hit a provisional then its the walk of shame back to the tee or from where you played your last shot. I had to do this in the comp on Saturday gone.

Non-Comp days = this is basically a round of golf for fun with the guys and we allow each player 2 lost ball allowances (one on the front 9 and one on the back 9). If all players agree they saw the ball land (it cannot be out of bounds) but we cannot find it, we simply drop where we saw it land with no penalty. It keeps the pace of play up and as there is no money on the line no-one is hurt (except the rules of golf of course).

Getting rained out is a different matter. That section in the USGA rules does not mean ignore all the rules you like so long as you score on 15 holes. Suppose you break a rule on the first hole of a handicap round that merits DQ - does the USGA rules say you can play on and count a double bogey? It really shouldn't. Once you commit a rules infraction where you are DQ, the round is over.

It's true that hitting a provisional is the best way if there's any doubt, but all of us have hit shots that land in plain view in the fairway or first cut of rough and when we get there the ball is nowhere to be found. I hit one Saturday that appeared to land between two hills but must have landed on the cartpath and bounced 30 yards up and over a hill and back toward the fairway. I was headed back to the tee when my GF, who had started walking toward the green, stumbled on the ball way beyond where it should have been.

I've played some courses that have woods marked as red stake hazards (way back there is a little creek or swampy area), which I think is a good way to speed up play and sort of face reality that many golfers are just going to drop one and take a stroke.