Rules Question

Wombatman

Only heard this second hand but buddy who told me convinced he was entitled to free relief.

Buddy played second up the hill on par five. He hit it right down the middle but didn't see it land. His playing partner said he saw a splash.

When they got up there there was casual water and no ball to be seen.

Free relief for lost ball in abnormal ground conditions?

Seve OB

wouldn't have thought so
As far as I know, you only get free relief for lost ball if it is absolutely determined that it is in GUR

Wombatman

Seve OB wrote: »

wouldn't have thought so
As far as I know, you only get free relief for lost ball if it is absolutely determined that it is in GUR

I think the rule is the same for casual water as with GUR. It the interpretation of "known or virtually certain" again. He states that the fact that the ball was no where to be found meant that it must be in the water.

HighLine

Covered by 25-c

Ball in Abnormal Ground Condition Not Found
It is a question of fact whether a ball that has not been found after having been struck toward an abnormal ground condition is in such a condition. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the abnormal ground condition. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.

Really depends on how virtually certain he was that the ball was in the abnormal ground condition. Not seeing the ball land in the abnormal ground condition (regardless of splash) would no lead to such certainty in my opinion.

Golfgraffix

HighLine wrote: »

Covered by 25-c


Really depends on how virtually certain he was that the ball was in the abnormal ground condition. Not seeing the ball land in the abnormal ground condition (regardless of splash) would no lead to such certainty in my opinion.

Can there be levels of "virtual certainty" ? I guess it's always the players call, I have never seen an on course argument where some says its wet and another says its not.

J

HighLine

Golfgraffix wrote: »

Can there be levels of "virtual certainty" ? I guess it's always the players call, I have never seen an on course argument where some says its wet and another says its not.

J

Very hard to define really. I guess Paddy's virtual certainty could always be very different to John's. Also never seen an argument over it... might be different story in an inter-club match.

Montgolfier

Wombatman wrote: »

He states that the fact that the ball was no where to be found meant that it must be in the water.

If you were virtually certain the ball was in the hazard; you wouldn't be searching elsewhere.
By the fact you searched elsewhere makes you uncertain.