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lost balls ...

• sbjorn 41 Posts

  Tue, Apr 22 2014 7:37 AM

  I just had to forfeit from a bracket tournament because my ball went into some weeds I could not get out of for anything. I went into the weeds with 4 balls and after my forfeit, I had 1 ball left.

  If my ball was lost in the weeds I would understand, but it kept giving me the ability to hit a shot. If WGT is going to take a ball away, shouldn't I get a drop?

  Sucks!

• alosso 21,070 Posts

  Tue, Apr 22 2014 9:37 AM

  There are spots where the only remote chance to continue is to max out the hole. Even more remote is the chance that repeated putting(!) will keep you from losing two sleeves of balls - otherwise use up the balls and continue with Starters.

  Anyway, the game will be void in most cases. Quitting is the best option from the start.

  sbjorn:

  Sucks!

  I agree.

  I found the exit for one hole: CCC#2, drive over the fairway. You'd have to punch (backwards?) to a path in the weeds which is only 30/40, then back on the FW. You'd lose only three shots :(

  There may be exits for other holes, too.

  BTW: The rules say, if you lose a ball (or it's OOB), the only option is to drop at the same spot.

• doran908 288 Posts

  Tue, Apr 22 2014 10:56 AM

  you should get a one club length drop

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Tue, Apr 22 2014 12:00 PM

  doran908:

  you should get a one club length drop

  You're right but I doubt it will ever happen here.

• alosso 21,070 Posts

  Tue, Apr 22 2014 12:13 PM

  One club length (from NPR) is relevant for free release relief in case of rules 24 and 25 but not here:

  Rule 27-1, OOB, lost ball: "...the player must play the ball, under penalty of one stroke, as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played"

  Edit: wording

• alanti 10,564 Posts

  Tue, Apr 22 2014 1:46 PM

  sbjorn:

  my ball went into some weeds I could not get out of for anything. I went into the weeds with 4 balls and after my forfeit, I had 1 ball left.

  If my ball was lost in the weeds I would understand, but it kept giving me the ability to hit a shot. If WGT is going to take a ball away, shouldn't I get a drop?

  I am confused. if your ball went into the weeds with 4 balls yet finished with only 1 ball are you saying you took several hundred shots to get out before you withdrew?

  Normally if you go into the weeds one of two things happen.

  1. You hit from the spot in the weeds
  2. It is deemed "lost"

  If the first scenario occurs you play from that spot in the weeds. Sometimes the ball will move only a few inches, and so on until your maximum shots are used up. If this happens, you do not lose a ball, just some hits, loss of pride and no lesson cause you kept trying the same shot - ala John Daly.

  The second case is a lost ball, and Alosso is 100% correct on his ruling - playing the "new" ball from the location of the original shot.

  I assume it must be #2 hence you balls are gone. Not sure what course but I am guessing Kiawah?