How long do you look for a lost ball

It depends but 99% of the time I won't find my ball but some other ball that's been there a while. Loll
 
Depends on the course, but for me if I don't find it within a minute I am done.

If there is heavy poison ivy growth, I won't bother at all. It's my fault I hit it in there, so I deserve to be down the $2.

Also, one course I play at has a bit of a tick problem. I douse myself in DEET, but if I hit it too deep into the woods, it stays there. One thing I hate worse than shanking a ball into the woods is picking off ticks.
 
I'm pretty good at spotting potential lost balls, but if I don't find it in the general area I think it should be I drop and keep going. Maybe a minute max and I'm ready to drop.
 
I have never lost a ball. Prior to the shot, I had decided the ball was no longer working for me so I got rid of it into the water or woods. Everything done with a purpose.
 
2-3 mins max for me. Unless it's a competition round and it could make a difference.
 
It depends on who's behind me. If I dont feel the guys behind us are right on our tail then I'll take 5 mins, otherwise probably 2 mins then drop.
 
2 passes. Thats all I will give it. If I can't find one, I want to get playing again ASAP, and I find searching for balls gets me discouraged.
 
about 2 minutes most of the time....if it's one that barely missed the fairway and I know exactly where it went in then maybe a minute more...but I never take the full 5 minutes.
 
If the rough is setup to make it findable, about a minute.
 
It depends on how nasty the area is US open rough, tall dense weeds and bushes or woods and leaves?

If the area is like a jungle and I am going to have to sep on it then a minute or two.

Into landscape bushes/plants a couple I'll hunt like the dickens if I saw exactly where it went in at but will give up at 4-5mins and take the drop

woods/leaves a couple minutes but if its really deep with leaves then not more than 2

Edit--

If the rough is gobbling up balls because its ridiculously thick then I will not take nor sugest taking a lost ball penalty when we watched the ball drop.
 
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If I think it's findable, 5 minutes. No more.
 
3 minutes maximum searching time IF the ball is still searchable. Or I simply let it go, and continue the game. I don't want to let my friends waiting for me.
 
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By the hazard? Thirty seconds.

In deep rough? My full five minutes.

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Depends on where the ball is lost. In play? Im looking until i find it or i run out of time. Nothing puts me on tilt more than losing a ball i know is in play
 
If there's a good chance it will be playable once found I look for the full 5 minutes. If it's near a hazard, jungle, or other cursed terrain I just take a drop and move on.
 
In a tournament or if i have some sort of money game the full 5 minutes, otherwise 30 to 60 seconds tops.
 
As a rule if I hit bad enough to lose it there is no point looking, it is way out in the trees, swamp, etc. Drop one and go.
 
If I have a decent idea of where it is then i will give it a good search. If I don't then a couple of passes. Also depends on who is behind me. I can lose a lot of balls in a round on certain courses so I don't go crazy looking for then


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It depends on the area the ball ran off and hid in. If it's thick and will cost shots, I take my drop or penalty and move on.
 
For me it totally depends on the situation. I'll give a longer look if the ball is someplace where it seems like it shouldn't be that hard to find. If it's in the really deep stuff where finding it or even having a swing is unlikely, then I may just do a casual stroll along the line where I last saw it, then go play my provisional ball if I don't stumble across it. I may not even look at all. I'll look longer if the course is slow in front of us and we have to wait anyway, but I'll spend less time if the course is moving fast and we have groups following close behind. In any event, I will almost never spend the full 5 minutes that the rules allow.
 
If i know the ball landed in play then i will look for a few minutes. If it definitely went in the woods then i will give it a quick pass and take my penalty.
 
If it SHOULD be in play, I will look for the full alloted time.
If it might be unplayable or lost, I hit a provisional, then will spend 3-4 min looking.
 
Usually won’t spend more than a couple of mins. I’ll take the penalty and move on.
I hate waiting for the group in front of me while they’re out in the weeds looking for a ball. I never want to be ‘this’ guy.
 
I dont know. I probably look too long but I really focus hard on where the ball goes so Im usually convinced of where it is and Im no quitter ?
 
A couple minutes at most, I hate to slow things down. The only exception is in league play when I will use 5 minutes if it means points.
 
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