Daniel:

I'm with you. I think that the lost ball rule is stupid.

I have been playing golf for only about three months. Being new to the game, I have noticed that the game rewards great golf shots and severely punishes poor shots (as I have had many poor shots).

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I thought that this is the point of the game: hit several good shots and get it in the hole. Repeat 17 more times.

Well, hit a poor shot in the rough and you are penalized with the possibility of hitting another poor shot or even worse… losing the ball. Hence, the severe 2 stroke penalty.

Like it or not, when we keep it on the fairway, the chances of losing a ball are next to none. And if it happens, 18-1 is invoked that we can be virtually certain that an outside agency (Man, Woman, or squirrel) has moved the ball and it must be replaced at no penalty (reward for hitting a good shot).

We’ve all chosen to play this game… then by default, we have all accepted and chosen to follow it’s rules. The rule should stand as is, we should take our lumps like men when we hit a poor shot and suffer the consequences. That 2 stroke penalty is the incentive for us to hit the fairway every time.

Show-ley wrote:

Like it or not, when we keep it on the fairway, the chances of losing a ball are next to none. And if it happens, 18-1 is invoked that we can be virtually certain that an outside agency (Man, Woman, or squirrel) has moved the ball and it must be replaced at no penalty (reward for hitting a good shot).

That doesn't fly I'm afraid. The wording in 18-1 literally says "it must be known or virtually certain that an outside agency has moved the ball. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must play the ball as it lies or, if the ball is not found, proceed under Rule 27-1.". Not finding the ball on the spot you think it should be is not enough to apply 18-1.

One thing to be aware of is that the rulebook is not a book from which you can pick the parts you like and forget about the rest.

Anyway, you will soon find out balls can be lost in the middle of the fairway in leaves, in mud or (in spring) under daisies for example. You will get into situations where a ball didn't fly as far as you thought it had or that it did fly a bit further. Believe me, balls have ways of hiding from ya you never even dreamed about

Jev... you are correct...and I agree that I have lost plenty of balls on the fairway.

I should have been a little more specific to my statement regarding the rule, as I have never not taken my penalty when I have lost my ball...either in the rough or the fairway... even when there was a guy from the next fairway over, hitting a ball as I was approaching the area where I saw my ball land.

The rule does state that known or virtually certain are the standards to be met. The key word here is the "or". This means you do not have to know for certain, but have a virtual certainty that an outside agency removed it. I guess we would have to have the governing body define "known" and "virtually certain" to be sure we are interpreting it correctly.

What would be the correct interpretation of "known" or "virtually certain"... short of witnessing a guy from 1 fairway over drive up pick up the ball and take off with it?

Make no mistake... I have no intention of picking out what rule or part of a rule that benefits me during a round, especially a lost ball. I believe golf to be a game of personal honor and integrity. I would not even argue the rule during a round to attempt to avoid the penalty. I may have the discussion over a beer to get my playing partner's take on it after.

My point was that the original question posed was specific to a ball lost in the rough and that the 2 stroke penalty should not be applied.

I was pointing out that a good shot on the fairway has a better chance of meeting the "known" or "virtually certain" standard of the rule than the poor shot in the rough or other hazards.

It's my opinion that a ball in the rough that can not be found is more likely lost, then it is an outside agency came and made off with it. I try to keep it simple.

Jev... what's your take on the definition of "known" or "virtually certain"?

Let's virtually share a beer than, that always is a good start . *plop* (uncaps a lager) Psssshhhhhhhh... cheers mate!

Anyway, I was told by the rules-official that talked at the training for 'clubreferee 2' "virtually certain" in terms of the rules means you just must be sure. For a ball to be moved "virtually certain" by an outside agency, you must actually see someone (or an animal) touching the ball. It's not even enough to see someone coming from another fairway take a swing at a ball near the position where you think yours landed.

It seems like the USGA gives a bit of wiggle room in the meaning of "virtually certain". The decision listed below gives the benefit of the doubt to player A. They can't find another ball in the rough. Player B played a wrong ball that can no longer be identified. So it is presumed that the ball Player B hit was Player A's ball, even though no one identified it. Depending on the rough, I might be sort of certain Player B hit Player A's ball but who is to say there are not 3 balls in the rough and Player A's ball is still nestled down under a leave? Of course, Player A better find Player B's ball within 5 minutes our he will have a lost ball penalty (Decision 27/6).


15-3b/1 Competitor Plays Wrong Ball and Loses It; Wrong Ball May Have Been Fellow-Competitor's Ball
Q. In stroke play, A and B drive into the same area in the rough. B finds a ball and hits it into the middle of a deep water hazard. A finds a ball that turns out to be B's ball. No other ball is found in the area, so presumably B played A's ball. B incurs a penalty of two strokes under Rule 15-3b and must play his own ball. What is the proper procedure for A?
A. As it was virtually certain that B played A's ball, A must place another ball at the spot from which B played the wrong ball, without penalty -- Rule 15-3b.