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THE LOST BALL
The Lost Ball Rule is the most
misunderstood in golf.
Here is a very common scenario: You take a mighty
swing on the first tee. The ball makes an early exit from the
fairway into a stand of pine trees. The temptation is to say; "if I can't find that one, I'll
drop
another near the spot where it is lost." Most golfers feel this
is a fair and expeditious way to deal with the problem.
Unfortunately, it is also a violation of the rules.
If you suspect that your ball is lost,
you must play a second ball, a "provisional", from the exact
spot the first ball was struck. You must announce your intent to
your playing partners before playing the provisional.
If the group can't find the first ball within the 5
minutes allowed for a search, you must play the provisional ball as your
fourth stroke.
Here is a review of the stroke tally: The
stroke that sent the ball into the woods is counted as 1. Adding a
penalty stroke for a lost ball makes 2. Hitting the provisional ball
is
3. Hitting the provisional after the search makes the total 4.
Adding strokes to your score is never, ever fun, but the
rules are an
integral part of the game. |
