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What Do You Do When You Lose A Ball in the "Fairway"?

Hacker Charlie

Hacker Charlie

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I'm sure me or my groups aren't the only people this happens too. Usually off the tee, but sometimes on long second shots, and even occasionally approach shots. You hit what looks to be a shot that should end up in great position. You even see it land and know right where it should be. Then you get to the area, and nothing! After a reasonable search, still nothing. What do you do then?

I'm not sure, but I think the real rules state you are supposed to go back and hit again? However, for the sake of speed of the game, we typically take a penalty and throw the ball out approximately where we agreed it should have been. Even at that, I stil hate to give or take the strokes sometimes. I feel like if it were the "pros" or any tournament with many officials, much of any gallery, cameras etc. it would be known where the ball went or what happened.

Sometimes on busy days at the course, I blame other people for picking up balls sometimes, but if you don't see it, how can you really know it?
 
Lost ball = penalty + distance.

Normally you would have an idea the ball was lost and take a provisional, but in this case, not so much. If there are people waiting you could always drop and take 2 penalties. That would be the closest to the actual rule.

Edit to say: It is lame to lose a ball in the fairway. I hate leaves too, TC.
 
this happens a lot around here due to the moisture of the fwy's. balls can plug horrible and unless you stand on it, you won't find it. if the course is slammed and i can't go back and tee off again, we agree to about where the ball should be, i drop w/penalty. on some occassions if i can clearly see that the ball plugs after i tee off, i'll hit a provisional just in case. i hate taking the penalty b/c you shouldn't be penalized for hitting the fwy but i always thought it would be cheating if i took a free drop. the same question can be applied to fall golf, when all the damn leaves are all over the course. why penalize yourself when you know you hit a good shot? i guess that's why there's the whole "in the spirit of the game". i'll gladly take the penalty, at least i'm golfing with my buddies!
 
I agree with yu here. Thats a tough call. I refuse to penalize someone for a great shot. A plug that we just dont step on to find. If there are no hazards and we KNOW for a fact it was going to be up, I am ok with just letting them drop. Call me crazy, but a tour pro would never lose a ball in the middle of the fairway so why should I penalize someone for a great shot. Now if it is heading anywhere remotely near a hazard or some thick stuff, then I would recommend a penalty. I am also not a HUGE stickler on rules, I will follow the rules to a T, but I am not going to lose sleep over something like this, I am out there ot have fun and I dont want someones round ruined over that. Which can happen, I have been playing well and lost a ball in the middle of the fairway, we were betting so I took the penalty and played on, but it flew all over me, I think I played the next few holes horribly.
 
I've had this happen to me as well. Usually in the fall when the leaves are scattered all over the fairway. I walk most of my rounds, so I'm not going to turn back around and hit from the tee again. I'll usually just take a penalty and drop it close to where it should have been. I'm no rule master and I don't carry a handicap, so I am really not worried about it when I play. I just get aggrivated when I lose a nice ball when it should be sitting pretty on the short grass.
 
I really hate this part of the game. Drives me nuts :banghead: when you hit that shot and see the damn thing land only not to fnd it. I have been considering going to the yellow :srixon: balls but they are a bit pricey for me. I think people picking up the ball happened more to me when I was playing :titleist: balls cause alot of people on the course I play use them as well. Since I switched to :bridgestone: I see that happening less and less.
 
Like others, if the course is busy then drop and take a penalty stroke. If not then go back and do it again.
 
This happens to me all the time. I can generally find it by going back 50 yards and looking there, hehe
 
hawk308 said:
Lost ball = penalty + distance.

Normally you would have an idea the ball was lost and take a provisional, but in this case, not so much. If there are people waiting you could always drop and take 2 penalties. That would be the closest to the actual rule.

Edit to say: It is lame to lose a ball in the fairway. I hate leaves too, TC.
Click to expand...

I'd also add I hate the clumps of grass that don't seem to blow away. BOOOOOOO!!!!
 
I have lost balls that I hit into puddles in the middle of the fairway on my wet course, and Rule 25.1c can help out:

http://golf.about.com/cs/rulesofgolf/a/rule25.htm

Partial quote:

25-1. Abnormal Ground Conditions

c. Ball in Abnormal Ground Condition Not Found
It is a question of fact whether a ball that has not been found after having been struck toward an abnormal ground condition is in such a condition. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the abnormal ground condition. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.
If it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in an abnormal ground condition, the player may take relief under this Rule. If he elects to do so, the spot where the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the abnormal ground condition must be determined and, for the purpose of applying this Rule, the ball is deemed to lie at this spot and the player must proceed as follows:
(i) Through the Green: If the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the abnormal ground condition at a spot through the green, the player may substitute another ball without penalty and take relief as prescribed in Rule 25-1b(i).

You need to know with virtual certainty what happened to the ball to apply it. To me that means seeing the ball go in and not come out with my own eyes.
 
White Rhino said:
You gotta stop looking at 300yd from the tee for your drives Duey!!
Click to expand...

Hey, they look good on the fly. I actually did this over the weekend, but was hitting over a rise and couldn't see the ball down. Got over the hill and the ball was no where. Looked like the best drive of the day, I was sick. Just layed another and took two strokes.
 
I like that response Duey.. gives me a good idea. I am now going to say that I am actually a 80s-90s golfer but I hit the ball so far that I loose it and all those extra shots I have to take in penalties and drops causes my score to go up! Oh that is a good one!!!! :blob:
 
White Rhino said:
I really hate this part of the game. Drives me nuts :banghead: when you hit that shot and see the damn thing land only not to fnd it. I have been considering going to the yellow :srixon: balls but they are a bit pricey for me. I think people picking up the ball happened more to me when I was playing :titleist: balls cause alot of people on the course I play use them as well. Since I switched to :bridgestone: I see that happening less and less.
Click to expand...

I find that I tend to lose a lot less balls with the yellow Srixons because they are easier to find... even on water hazards. I played with P4B yesterday and he couldn't stop commenting about how he could see the ball for miles.
 
Spank818 said:
I find that I tend to lose a lot less balls with the yellow Srixons because they are easier to find... even on water hazards. I played with P4B yesterday and he couldn't stop commenting about how he could see the ball for miles.
Click to expand...

I might have to break down and get some
 
v3.0 said:
I have lost balls that I hit into puddles in the middle of the fairway on my wet course, and Rule 25.1c can help out:

http://golf.about.com/cs/rulesofgolf/a/rule25.htm

Partial quote:

25-1. Abnormal Ground Conditions

c. Ball in Abnormal Ground Condition Not Found
It is a question of fact whether a ball that has not been found after having been struck toward an abnormal ground condition is in such a condition. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the abnormal ground condition. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.
If it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in an abnormal ground condition, the player may take relief under this Rule. If he elects to do so, the spot where the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the abnormal ground condition must be determined and, for the purpose of applying this Rule, the ball is deemed to lie at this spot and the player must proceed as follows:
(i) Through the Green: If the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the abnormal ground condition at a spot through the green, the player may substitute another ball without penalty and take relief as prescribed in Rule 25-1b(i).

You need to know with virtual certainty what happened to the ball to apply it. To me that means seeing the ball go in and not come out with my own eyes.
Click to expand...

Thanks!!! This clears up the fact that seeing a ball plug and not finding it is not a stroke...at least thats how I took it
 
One-T said:
Thanks!!! This clears up the fact that seeing a ball plug and not finding it is not a stroke...at least thats how I took it
Click to expand...

That's right: The rules give and take!
 
Over the weekend when then BF and I played, he "lost" his ball and it landed in the fairway, but in a ditch where the sprinkler head is, haa haa haa!! I was nice enough and said that he could move it :)
 
as an example if its off the T, i drop and play my 4th shot which is closest to the rule of stroke and distance to the same position.
 
^^^LOL
 
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