2019 OB and lost ball rule changes

badolds

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Albatross 2024 Club
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I like the new rule change but would like some clarification. It is easy to understand estimating where your ball ended up and getting two club lengths into the fairway to define the drop area but I would like to know the penalty for a few scenarios.

#1 Hit tee shot into a bush not OB, ball cannot be found.

Drop in fairway with 2 shot penalty hitting 4th?

#2 Hit tee shot into bush not OB, ball is found under bush but not playable.

No drop in fairway, drop ball back in line to tee with 1 shot penalty?

Drop in fairway? 1 or 2 shot penalty?

#3 Hit tee shot OB, ball cannot be found.

Drop in fairway with 2 shot penalty hitting 4th?

#4 Hit tee shot OB, ball is retrievable.

Drop in fairway with 2 shot penalty hitting 4th?

Drop in fairway with 1 shot penalty hitting 3rd?
 
As I understand it, its irrelevant if the ball is retrievable if it has gone OB. The only purpose it might serve is determining where to drop. If I am correct, #3 and #4 would be the same outcome of taking an appropriate drop in the fairway and hit your 4th shot (almost as if you had re teed and hit in a comparable spot to your first effort)
 
As I understand it, its irrelevant if the ball is retrievable if it has gone OB. The only purpose it might serve is determining where to drop. If I am correct, #3 and #4 would be the same outcome of taking an appropriate drop in the fairway and hit your 4th shot (almost as if you had re teed and hit in a comparable spot to your first effort)

That is what I think as well. Care to take a stab at 1 and 2?
 
That is what I think as well. Care to take a stab at 1 and 2?

no clue, honestly. Not that I had a tremendous amount of confidence in my first response
 
I believe #1 #3 and #4 are all drop in the fairway laying 3 playing 4th and #2 would be dropped back along the path of the tee shot with a one stroke penalty.
 
I believe #1 #3 and #4 are all drop in the fairway laying 3 playing 4th and #2 would be dropped back along the path of the tee shot with a one stroke penalty.

I’m pretty sure this is correct. #2 would be an unplayable lie, not lost ball.

The others are all lost ball/OB.
 
I’m pretty sure this is correct. #2 would be an unplayable lie, not lost ball.

The others are all lost ball/OB.

I agree with this as well
 
Hmmm, I don't remember a rule change that allowed the player to go back on a line towards the tee with a one-stroke penalty. I would have thought you would have to treat an unplayable lie the same as one that is in a hazard or OB. I will be awaiting an answer from a more knowledgeable person!

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I don't believe there was a rule change with unplayable lies but I am pretty sure the "back on a line" comes from the existing rule where you CAN go back on the line created by the ball and the HOLE *OR* take a club (or two?) distance no closer. Obviously both options also require a penalty stroke. To be clear though it is not back along the line of the shot, it is a line from the hole to the ball and then backwards from there. Often this is not an option so effectively unplayables become a club length (or two?) no closer. Of course with all the rules changes, etc., I am not offering a warranty on this info! :D
 
This is from the USGA rules app

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#1: If your ball is lost or out of bounds, you must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing a ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).

#2: The diagram posted by dazeedmonds is directly from the USGA site/app.

#3: If Local Rule established to drop in fairway, drop away. Otherwise:If your ball is lost or out of bounds, you must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing a ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).

#4: Same as 3.

This link details the Local Rule:
http://www.usga.org/content/usga/ho...on/text/golf-s-modernized-rules-released.html
 
As I understand it, its irrelevant if the ball is retrievable if it has gone OB.


Correct. If the ball is entirely out of bounds, it is OB. If you can go pick it up, doesn't negate that it is already OB.
 
2019 OB and lost ball rule changes

I thin USGA blew it.
 
#1: If your ball is lost or out of bounds, you must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing a ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).

#2: The diagram posted by dazeedmonds is directly from the USGA site/app.

#3: If Local Rule established to drop in fairway, drop away. Otherwise:If your ball is lost or out of bounds, you must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing a ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).

#4: Same as 3.

This link details the Local Rule:
http://www.usga.org/content/usga/ho...on/text/golf-s-modernized-rules-released.html

Since there is very little O.B. at my home course, our club has decided not to adopt a local rule. A ball O.B. will be the same stroke and distance penalty played from the previous spot as it's always been. To me it makes sense, I've only hit one ball O.B. since I joined the club a year ago and I played a provisional as I knew it was likely O.B. as soon as I hit it.
 
Be aware though guys that the new OB rule will only be in play at a golf course if it is deemed to be a Local Rule. It is not intended to be a full rule of golf. Yet!

So if your golf club does not intend having this as a local rule, you will have to carry on the way we have always done. Stroke & Distance.

From what I gather, certainly over here in UK, this rule if granted by a golf club comittee, will NOT be in use for competition play only for non handicap play.
 
2019 OB and lost ball rule changes

how so, I think this is good change

USGA didn’t go far enough in explaining how many strokes to add. Rule says add two penalty strokes, but does one of those strokes include the dropping of the ball like the current rule does for re-teeing it? Or is the act of dropping not considered a stroke? GolfWorld magazine says the act of dropping is a stroke and the you must add two more. You are now hitting your fifth shot. Under the old rule you are hitting your fourth.
 
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USGA didn’t go far enough in explaining how many strokes to add. Rule says add two penalty strokes, but does one of those strokes include the dropping of the ball like the current rule does for re-teeing it? Or is the act of dropping not considered a stroke? GolfWorld magazine says the act of dropping is a stroke and the you must add two more. You are now hitting your fourth shot. Under the old rule you are hitting your third.

Just think of the ball you have just dropped as being your reload off the tee, so you are effectively 3 to that point and about to play your fourth.

This is no different to how it has ever been (shot count wise), but you have been saved the walk of shame back to the tee.
 
This is the one rule change that I just dont get.

The old system of hitting a provisional when in doubt still seems to me to be massively superior. Players who dont take provisionals are the same players who dont play by the stroke and distance rules anyways.
 
This is the one rule change that I just dont get.

The old system of hitting a provisional when in doubt still seems to me to be massively superior. Players who dont take provisionals are the same players who dont play by the stroke and distance rules anyways.

Exactly!!!

I can see the reasoning behind the new OOB rule, but it won't speed anything up unless players use a bit of common sense, and we all know that the issue with that is that it is not very common.

When I started playing, when the dinosaurs were around, I was given a few snippets that have stood me in good stead ever since.

If in doubt whether OOB or poss unfindable - Play a provisional.
If you can't score in a Stableford - Pick the darn thing up.
Where possible, play ready golf.
Keep up with the group in front, not in front of the group behind.

All things to keep the game flowing
 
My home course has decided to not adopt the OB rule.
 
I have read all the new rules, and this one does confuse me a bit in regards to the drop in the fairway part. I understand that this is a local rule and will be adopted by some courses and not by others. In terms of dropping in the fairway, do you go back along the line of flight to where the ball crossed over from the fairway to rough to drop it?
 
... I love the new rule for average golfers. Hitting one potentially OB and taking a provisional means the provisional tee shot is lying 3 which may also be in the woods or a hazard or even OB. Dropping in the fairway you are still lying 3 and hitting your 4th shot. That certainly seems like penalty enough for the average guy that is looking at a triple bogy or worse. I have always hated OB rules as opposed to hazard rules that allow a one stroke penalty and a drop, which again is penalty enough for most golfers. The 2 stroke OB penalty has always seemed random and arbitrary to me.
 
I have read all the new rules, and this one does confuse me a bit in regards to the drop in the fairway part. I understand that this is a local rule and will be adopted by some courses and not by others. In terms of dropping in the fairway, do you go back along the line of flight to where the ball crossed over from the fairway to rough to drop it?

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/new-rules-golf-effect-heres-what-you-need-know-2019

The video towards the bottom called lost ball local rules explains how to define the drop zone.
 
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