Ruling Needed?

willabur

Had a funny moment on the course in the middle of a stableford competition on sunday last.

My drive flew into heavy rough, the top of the ball could be seen and was playable.
As it was so deep I took out a wedge and made sure I carried through the rough to give the ball best chance of clearing out to the shorter grass.

I swung and two balls popped out. I did not see the other ball as it was well buried (ironically it went further than the ball I was trying to play). What is the rulling in this case? The other ball did not belong to another member of my 4 ball so it was effectively a lost ball, does it have the same status as any other object at that point? Or do I encur a penalty?

callaway92

It's as if you hit a loose stone.

If you called your own ball as found and played it, it's business as usual

GreeBo

I guess it would depend on which ball you hit first...did you identify your ball before you hit it (in which case you 100% hit your own ball first) or is it possible that you hit the other ball and then your own ball?

Strange one, would be worth checking the decisions or sending a mail to randa (not that it will probably ever happen again!)

prawnsambo

Same thing happened to me a few months ago. Hit my ball and two balls came out. Just pocket the extra ball and count yourself one up.

GolfNut33

No penalty as you played the correct ball.

Seve OB

prawnsambo wrote: »

Same thing happened to me a few months ago. Hit my ball and two balls came out. Just pocket the extra ball and count yourself one up.

was going to say that i'm pretty sure i read a very similar instance on here a short while ago. might have been yourself

Russman

There was a decision on this in the old Decisions Book that can probably still be looked up, can't remember exactly what it was, but I think it was no penalty and play it as it lies.
No idea where its covered in the new rules but I'd imagine with their focus on simplicity and fairness, there's no penalty.

GreeBo

GolfNut33 wrote: »

No penalty as you played the correct ball.

6.3.c
Says
"A player must not make a stroke at a wrong ball."
So what matters is which ball was hit first.
If he hit the wrong ball first, then arguably its a penalty.

GolfNut33

GreeBo wrote: »

6.3.c
Says
"A player must not make a stroke at a wrong ball."
So what matters is which ball was hit first.
If he hit the wrong ball first, then arguably its a penalty.

But he didn't make a stroke at the wrong ball. He made a stroke at his ball.

willabur

I didn't see the other ball until after I hit it.
They were both hit at the same time (same swing)

GolfNut33

willabur wrote: »

I didn't see the other ball until after I hit it.
They were both hit at the same time (same swing)

Something similar happened to me a while back.

You play on with your own ball without penalty. There is absolutely NO WAY you or anyone could ever determine that you hit the other ball first.

GreeBo

willabur wrote: »

I didn't see the other ball until after I hit it.
They were both hit at the same time (same swing)

Did you identify the first ball as your ball before you hit it or assumed it was yours since thats where you hit yours?

GreeBo

GolfNut33 wrote: »

But he didn't make a stroke at the wrong ball. He made a stroke at his ball.

OP hasnt clarified yet whether or not he actually identified the ball that he could see the top of as his ball...

willabur

GreeBo wrote: »

OP hasnt clarified yet whether or not he actually identified the ball that he could see the top of as his ball...

It was definitely my ball, its one of the Callaway tru-viz balls so quite distinctive in itself. Right number, right location etc. the other ball was a fully white titleist

eoghan104

No penalty. You made a swipe at your own ball after identifying it.