Why are courses that you face few if any loss of ball opportunities considered designed for all abilities...Pinehurst II has to be one of the most difficult courses I have ever played...sure I had the same ball after 36 but she was all worn out...what a farce if some 27 handicap thinks they had a succesful day based on balls kept.

That said...what is the cost of loss of ball to the golfing public in increased maintenace costs and time.   Recently one of our most happily married and most noble posters told of looking a full 5 minutes because it was his right to do so....how natural do woods cleaned of all leaves and underbush really appear....is it time for the USGA to reduce the penalty for loss of ball to just stroke and not distance....its the way some play as is....so why not save all of us a bunch of time and regret...save supers a hell of a lot of work...and just make the game a little better for the rest of us.   Drop the ball where she was last seen under penalty of one stroke and move on....no less noble champion would ever be crowned and us common people who like to play by the rules could get home a little earlier.

It's been tried, and was a dismal failure. Too many disagreements about where the original was lost (of course, if one knew where it was lost, it wouldn't be.)

From a rules perspective, given that the ball is lost (i.e., we don't know where it is) there is no logical place to drop a replacement ball. The only logical next step is to return to the spot where on last played and start over.

As for the penalty shot, it is not so much a punishment to the player but a concession to one's opponent or the rest of the field because of the player's error.

The USGA, R&A, PGA, PGA Tour and other interested parties have been round and round on this one over the last fifty years and find no better way of handling a lost ball or ball out of bounds. (A ball out of bounds, since it is not on the course, has the same status as a lost ball.)

The sad fact that many people do not follow this rule is no argument for changing it. Following the rules is optional, and if some people find that not doing so works for them, so be it. Many people choose to not follow lots of rules, so using that logic would lead to chaos.

In this circumsatance, it would be better for one to understand how to use a Provisional Ball- one can play under the rules, applying all the provisions of stroke and distance, and maintain an acceptable pace of play.

What if loss of ball was stroke only for match play and handicap purposes...that way there would no field to protect and a match would be kept more interesting after an errant tee shot.....drama and quick play...where do I sign up.

Shivas,

If I'm not mistaken, that is a local rule at Sand Hills.

Mike

The problem with making everything lateral is that it isn't fair to the memberships handicap. The scores turned in would not reflect an actual round of golf, but some other game.

Plus, if someone(a newer golfer) asks the ruling, and you know it, and then you don't share it. That ain't golf either!

 It can be frustrating as all hell to explain options to someone over and over who isn't in competition, But how else does someone learn? By feel?

What's so telling about us humanoids is how the novice (and even not so novice) interprets what they do know. Usually giving him or herself the most preferable of all lies and/or evils.

John (and the USGA and R&A) generally have it nailed as to why any of JakaB or Shivas' ideas would not work in proper stroke play tournaments.  I could argue for a penalty of distance (i.e. re-tee/drop) only, but it's been tried and found wanting.  The one thing I think could be changed is limiting the search time to 2 minutes rather than 5.  This could speed up play significantly.  In the real world if you don't find your ball within 2 minutes, the likelihood is that you dont WANT to find it!

Of course, as John said, what you do in the privacy of your friendly games is none of the USGA's (or even the Supreme Court's) business, just as long as you remember to "record the score you would most likely have made had you played by the rules for handicap purposes......"

I like this concept of "virtual rules!"

JakaB

You MUST post those scores (using the strict USGA "the score you would most likely have made had you played by the rules" standard).  Just use your fertile imagination when posting "scores" and maybe you will win your flight next year!

Your Pajo

Ricardo

Barney,

The USGA wants all scores posted.  Some clubs post "penalty scores" for players who don't post.  Those even par scores can really do a lot to lower your handicap.

The distance only penalty was found wanting because it was felt that a ball hit out of bounds deserved more punishment than that.  A ball that is lost needs to be treated equally to a ball that is out of bounds, because if it is lost, you don't know if it is out of bounds or not.

If you change the stroke and distance to distance only for OOB and LB you would also have to change it to that for the options under unplayable and ball in a water hazard.  No big deal, but there was a case when the rule was in effect, where a player in the Open plugged his ball under the lip of a bunker at the Postage Stamp, took his unplayable back to the tee and either holed it for a 2 or knocked it stiff and tapped in for 3 (I forget which.)  It was felt that this was an insufficient penalty so stroke and distance was re-established.  Think about it.  There was no way he could have made a 2 (or probably even a 3) from where he was, but by just going back to the tee he could.

JohnV,

Thank you for a perfect example of why the rule should never be amended....me thinks many today would hit ball after ball and only find those they choose...compounding the slow play problem.

DavidM,

My wife just asked me why the hell I am so happy today and I think it is part do to the fact I can write such a poorly constructed sentance and somebody actually understands...next time I face loss of ball it will be just a little bitter sweet thinking about that damn width everybody so enjoys.

I agree that something needs to be done about the lost ball "go back to the tee and hit 3" rule.  Good example: I'm playing with my friends who are members at the Valley Club. We are walking.  I make a 3 putt par at #1 and then hit a smart draw around the corner on #2.  Walk up there and never did find the ball.  So I walk back to the tee while my hosts are p.o.'d at me for doing so.  The ball was either lost or OB, I couldn't determine which.  Short of walking back to the tee, all I could do if the rule were changed was drop one where it went out of sight and add a stroke, right?  That seems more fair to me than pissing everbody off by walking 220 yards back to the tee with smoke coming out of my ears.  At least there wasn't a group behind us.  Luckily this happened at the Valley Club.

I didn't hit a provisional because it's a dogleg left and I hit a draw that flew the left bunker and looked to be perfect if a bit left.  In retrospect it would have been a good idea.  But the point is that a lost ball (or OB) 220 yds away means a long walk back if you don't think it's a problem and it turns out it is.

Here's a rules question.  In the situation I was in above, the ball could have been either OB or lost.  Do I hit two provisionals?  Of course I didn't think the ball was either!