Linda,
I recently had a situation where I did not know what to do. Maybe you can explain. I was playing in a tournament where the format was best net score and best gross score. On a par 5, I hit my second shot into a tree; underneath the tree there was a water hazard. No one saw where the ball went except that it hit the tree. After searching and not finding the ball I dropped a ball behind the water hazard where it last crossed. I hit my 4th shot towards the green. After we crossed the water hazard I proceeded to hit my next shot. After I hit, my original ball was found not in the water hazard. I continued playing my second ball. After I came in I realized that since no one saw the ball go into the water hazard that I probably should have played it as a lost ball. The other guys said I could hit the found ball. I do not think that was the right thing to do but I was sort of confused myself by then. What would have been the proper procedure?
Thanks,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
The rule of thumb when you hit your ball towards a water hazard is that it must be “known or virtually certain” that the ball is in the hazard in order to proceed under any of the relief options for a ball in a hazard. Without such knowledge or certainty, you must play it as a lost ball, which means proceeding under “stroke and distance” (adding a penalty stroke to your score and hitting your next ball from where you hit your previous shot).
Since no one saw where your ball ricocheted, you were not permitted to assume it was in the hazard. You were entitled to search for a maximum of five minutes, after which you were required to play another ball under stroke and distance (Rule 27-1c).
When you dropped another ball behind the water hazard and played it, you violated two rules:
1. You were subject to a two-stroke penalty for breaching Rule 20-7c (Playing from Wrong Place)
2. You incurred a stroke and distance penalty under Rule 27-1 (Lost Ball)
This is only the start of your troubles. I’m guessing that the Committee would have ruled that you committed what is known as a “serious breach,” since the place where you dropped and played another ball was much closer to the hole than where you would have hit from had you properly hit another ball from where you hit your previous shot. Because you gained a significant advantage by playing from a spot closer to the hole, the Committee would have disqualified you from the competition.
There is a way around this disqualification (Rule 20-7c). If you realize that you may have committed a serious breach before you tee off on the next hole, you may go back and play a second ball under Rule 3-3 (Doubt as to Procedure). You must tell your fellow competitors which ball you would like to count if the rules permit, and you must explain everything to the Committee before you sign and return your score card. The Committee will sort out the mess and tell you which ball to count.
Given the facts as you stated them in your letter, you should have been disqualified from the tournament. Your guess that you should have played it as a lost ball was correct, but it came too late to fix the problem.
Linda
Copyright © 2008 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
