What happens if your first ball is lost in golf?
If your first ball is lost, you can carry on playing the provisional without having to go back to where you played the previous shot from and delay play. You can carry on playing the provisional ball until you reach the area where you believe the original ball to be. Under the rules of golf you have three minutes to search for your ball.
What happens when a golf ball is hit out of bounds?
Once that time period is complete, the ball is considered officially "lost." Although a ball hit of of bounds (hit outside the boundaries of the golf course) is not always considered a lost ball, the USGA rules state that the penalty and procedures related to a ball out of bound are the same as if the ball were "lost."
Can I declare my ball lost?
Contrary to what many people think, the Rules make no allowance for declaring your ball lost. It’s not what you say, but what you do that counts… Declaring your ball lost is a tempting option when you hit it deep into the jungle, but such verbal declarations are meaningless under the Rules of Golf…
What are the penalty strokes for losing a ball in golf?
But something that confuses many amateur golfers is the penalty strokes for losing a ball in golf. Here’s how it breaks down: The golfing association says a penalty stroke will be given to a player under rule 18.2-A if a ball cannot be found within three minutes of searching by the player.