YankeeJim:
piztaker: I think loss of balls is simply down to simplicity. It makes the game easier if all out of bounds are deemed a lost ball, and all balls in water are down as lost too.
Good way to put it, Piz. This probably applies to other parts of the game, too, like how the "draw/fade" thing works but you don't actually see the flight as such.
IMO, if WGT wants to pride itself upon being so 'realistic', then they should incorporate red and yellow stakes into the game...Hence, a ball which goes into the water is a stroke and a drop, rather than always being stroke and distance..
Hittiing your ball into the cross creek on #2 Kwa is a perfect example..