Rule 26-1 says that if a ball is found in a hazard, or if it is known or virtually certain that the ball is in the hazard, then you can proceed under this rule (ball in hazard). Otherwise, you must proceed under Rule 27-1 (ball lost).
On a short downhill par 4, I expected to find my ball on the right side of the fairway. I didn't. There was a hazard to the right, and my ball was probably in there. But I was looking in bunkers, looking down the cart path, I really had no idea where it was. So rather than assume that it's in the hazard, the rules say that you have to go back to the spot of the previous shot.
The lesson here (as always) is that it is never a bad idea to hit a provisional. It beats the walk (or in this case drive) of shame.
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DeleteThis is a dicey issue and rests on ones definition of virtually certain. If I hit a ball toward the right side of a fairway that is fairly open but bordered by red stakes then can't find it after a five minute search, I'm virtually (almost, close) certain the ball entered the hazard, otherwise I should be able to find it.
ReplyDeleteIn all my decades of playing golf I have never once seen someone go back to the tee to rehit in this situation. I have never once seen an opponent or playing buddy challenge or dispute the players decision to play it as a lateral water hazard.
Keep in mind the determination whether one is virtually certain a ball is in a hazard is up to the player, the way I read the rules it can't be challenged. Well, I guess it can be challenged but all the player has to say is that in his opinion he was virtually certain the ball went into the hazard, even if he might be wrong. Case closed.
I had no idea where my ball was. I looked in the fairway, I looked in the hazard, and I looked in a greenside bunker 75 yards forward from where I thought my ball would be (it was downhill). I was not virtually certain that the ball was in the hazard. I couldn't even tell you which hazard it could be in. So I treated it as a lost ball, and I went back to the tee.
ReplyDeleteAnd you played it correctly since whether the location of a ball is virtually (almost) know is up to the individual player.
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