Hi Linda,
As a high handicapper, occasionally I will miss-hit my tee shot and end up with the ball 10 feet in front of me in a clump of long grass.
I know I can declare the ball unplayable and re-tee the shot for a penalty of one stroke but do I need to actually find the ball first, or can I just declare it unplayable and then look for it after the re-tee? Obviously if I find it I would just pick it up and continue with the replacement ball.
Thanks,
Lou from Royal Wootton Bassett, UK
Dear Lou,
There is no requirement to find your ball when you choose the stroke-and-distance relief option for an unplayable ball [Rule 19.2].
If you were to choose either the back-on-the-line or lateral relief options, you would have to know the spot of the original ball.
Linda
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