Rules Tip
Presented by: John Hanlon, Jr.
Head Golf Professional
PGA Certified/Golf Operations
In stroke play, “A” and “B” hit their tee shots in the same general area. “A” found a ball and played it. “B” was unable to find his ball, so he started back to the tee to play again. He found “A’s” ball and knew “A” had played “B’s” ball.
What is the ruling?
Rule 15-3b states:
“A” incurred a penalty of two strokes for playing a wrong ball and must then play his own ball. “A’s” ball was not lost, even if the five minute time limitation for searching was over, since the search for “A’s” ball had never begun. On the other hand, “B” began his search for his ball as soon as he began to look for it. If less than five minutes had elapsed before “B” found “A’s” ball, “B” should have placed a ball on the spot from which “A” had wrongly played “B’s” ball and continued play, without penalty – see last paragraph of Rule 15-3. However, if five minutes expired, “B’s” original ball was lost and he was obliged to put another ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1).
What is the ruling?
Rule 15-3b states:
“A” incurred a penalty of two strokes for playing a wrong ball and must then play his own ball. “A’s” ball was not lost, even if the five minute time limitation for searching was over, since the search for “A’s” ball had never begun. On the other hand, “B” began his search for his ball as soon as he began to look for it. If less than five minutes had elapsed before “B” found “A’s” ball, “B” should have placed a ball on the spot from which “A” had wrongly played “B’s” ball and continued play, without penalty – see last paragraph of Rule 15-3. However, if five minutes expired, “B’s” original ball was lost and he was obliged to put another ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1).
