Where did it go?

[lwc]

Okay, so I hit a good straight drive, right down the middle of a long par five. All four of us watched my ball land in the middle of the fairway. The ball cannot be found. All of us looked everywhere, the bermuda rough is not tall, the fairway is wide... finally took a penalty stroke drop and moved on.

How can a ball be lost like that? Did an animal grab it, or just the golf gods and lousy luck or dirty tricks?

[Lefty_SnowBird]

I usually don't take the penalty shot when I know my ball was in the middle of the fairway. I mean you're there to enjoy the game and stuff... There are enough ways of taking penalty shots, i don't consider a perfect drive in the middle of the fairway one of them.

[mddubya]

I usually don't take the penalty shot when I know my ball was in the middle of the fairway. I mean you're there to enjoy the game and stuff... There are enough ways of taking penalty shots, i don't consider a perfect drive in the middle of the fairway one of them.

+1, same here. If I saw it land in the fairway, screw taking a penalty stroke. Now if I saw it land in the rough and can't find it, thats a different thing. It probably was sitting in a sprinkler head or a big divot, its happened to me too. But it is aggravating.

[N.V.M.]

it's weird. stuff like that bothers me for a few holes.

[zaphod]

+1 on no penalty if last seen landing in the middle of the fairway. Plugged or whatever. I play a lot of golf alone in late evening so hitting in to the sun is the norm. Many times I have no idea where to start looking. If not easily in view I play "should have" golf rather than wandering around aimlessly.

[FATC1TY]

I just go back and re-tee usually... I've had it happen before and generally it just plugs where you have to be almost on top of it to see it.

I've done the "sun in the face" before.. I can't stand that!

[halifax_golfer]

Man. I feel your pain with that one. It happens to me about twice a year it seems.

Very frustrating feeling.

[twelvegage]

I hate that too. I always play by myself and it just befuddles me that I can hit a shot that well, watch it land, and then not find it.

I usually don't take a penalty stroke on those either, because my "gallery" would've been able to find it if they were in attendance. =]

[Fourputt]

To each his own, but for me that's a lost ball. How I approach it depends on the circumstances. If it's any sort of competition, I return to the tee for my 3rd stroke. If it's a casual round with my friends, I'll more likely just drop nearby, but I'm still lying 3, hitting 4. I pretty much have to, since most of my rounds are turned in for handicap.

I'll be honest though, I can't remember 2 times in more than 25 years of playing that a good drive has been lost. I've lost balls in rough mowed just 2" high.... treat that the same way.

If you play in a group that uses a different set of ground rules, then you put yourself at a disadvantage not to play by their rules. My regular Wednesday fourball plays by the Rules of Golf, and since most of my play is either with them or in club tournaments, I just play that way all the time. It's easier than constantly changing gears, and it keep the rules always fresh and familiar. For me, the game is just more fun that way.

[VAGolf]

the trick to finding balls while playing in a foursome if your the farthest from the green: nonchalantly look around for it and let someone else find it, cause they are anxious to hit

[lwc]

In the original case, we were in match play for modest wagers. My opponents would insist on a penalty stroke (that's golf)(stuff happens). If the ball had been seen to land OB then a provisional ball would have been hit.

Going back to the tee is out of the question... the marshalls and the following group would not allow that at this particular muni... "keep it movin'". Going back to the tee is not in the "local" rulebook at this course except for perhaps a "real" tournament.