Question:

I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances.

Response:

I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances.

Stuff happens.  One day I (playing single) was following a 4-group of ladies.  Both carts rummaged around the fairway for a while before breaking off to the light rough on the left.  After waiting for a lengthy period, watching the ladies play their second (and third) shots, I teed up and accidentally hit the ball perfectly square, hitting it farther than I ever had on that hole before and dead centre of the fairway.  I hit it past where the ladies had just moved from. Then one cart came back to the middle of the fairway and hit one more ball.  Oh, Oh, I wondered. At that point a twosome joined me from the previous hole and we teamed together.  After they hit their tee shots we started out to our balls. The twosome had both found the rough on the right and went searching. My ball was down the centre but for some reason, I could not find it! My only conclusion is that the one of the ladies mistook my ball for theirs and played it.  I had to pull another ball out of the bag to continue the hole.  My score – bogey 6 because of the lost ball. I usually mark my ball in a distinctive manner.  On opposites sides, I colour in 3 consecutive dimples with red marker.  Makes it so much easier to identify.  But apparently the ladies never bothered to ID the ball they were hitting.  I mark my ball like this because when I first started golfing, I accidentally played other peoples balls.  So to keep from embarrassing myself, I make a point of being colourful.

Response:

I’ve taken to using bright orange nail polish and putting two spots on each ball. I put the spots on opposite sides. I play with a 45 man group and we change foursomes every week.  Since my drives tended to be a little longer than some, I found a lot of guys saying " that’s my ball"!!  After that happened a few times, I took to marking my balls with the orange spots. It’s pretty hard for anyone to claim "my" ball when everyone sees… ( I announce that ALL of my golf balls have orange spots on them! )… the ball lying there obviously marked! — regards,  RichG .

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances.

Response:

I started marking my ball after twice in two weeks a playing partner hit my ball by mistake.  The second time was on the green. I mark a dimple above and below the logo in red.  I do it on both sides, so it’s virtually impossible to look at the ball and not see at least one red dimple.  My playing partners are now trained to recognize the red dots.   Mike I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances.

– Mike Dalecki  RSG-Wisconsin 2001 Info:  http://dalecki.net/rsgwis I do not patronize spammers!  Help keep RSG clean. Expect the same etiquette from me on RSG as on the golf course. RSG Roll Call:  http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/daleckim.htm

Response:

Sure as fire do. Two blue (or one blue, one black) dots, one on either side of the number below the name….. Too many two legged squirrels claiming my little white nut out in the middle of the fairway. But why would they want to play a Maxfli HT90? The damn thing is as soft as a marshmellow! -T-

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Stuff happens.  One day I (playing single) was following a 4-group of ladies.  Both carts rummaged around the fairway for a while before breaking off to the light rough on the left.  After waiting for a lengthy period, watching the ladies play their second (and third) shots, I teed up and accidentally hit the ball perfectly square, hitting it farther than I ever had on that hole before and dead centre of the fairway.  I hit it past where the ladies had just moved from. Then one cart came back to the middle of the fairway and hit one more ball.  Oh, Oh, I wondered. At that point a twosome joined me from the previous hole and we teamed together.  After they hit their tee shots we started out to our balls. The twosome had both found the rough on the right and went searching. My ball was down the centre but for some reason, I could not find it! My only conclusion is that the one of the ladies mistook my ball for theirs and played it.  I had to pull another ball out of the bag to continue the hole.  My score – bogey 6 because of the lost ball.

While we know there is a penalty for a lost ball, is there any penalty for having to replace a stolen ball? Whether the ladies intentionally took it, or were just a bit inattentive, your ball clearly wasn’t lost; just stolen. — Eliyahu Rooff www.geocities.com/Area51/Underworld/8096/HomePage.htm RSG Rollcall http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/rooffe.htm

Response:

I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not.

This is the advantage of having one of those dorky ball monogram devices… it’s hard for someone else to lay claim to a ball which is embossed with my full name on both sides. Of course, even this assumes that a player will actually look at a ball before playing it. — Eliyahu Rooff www.geocities.com/Area51/Underworld/8096/HomePage.htm RSG Rollcall http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/rooffe.htm

Response:

I’ve started putting my 3 initials on both sides of the ball, just above the logo, using a black Sharpie.  Unmistakeable.  And I can holler very loudly when necessary to ward off a usurper.  Haven’t had a problem recently.  Did find two of my balls, however, in the used ball barrel at the course! Peter – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances.

Response:

 It also helps when I need to yell down the fairway at some guy playing the wrong fairway that that’s MY ball and he’d better leave it alone…

I did that last week.  It didn’t help. Tim Every ball – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -in my bag is identical except for the numbers printed on them…I know what my ball looks like. I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances. Rick R Charter Member, RSG Clique RSG FAQ:  http://ttsoft.com/thor/rsggolf.html

Response:

I had to pull another ball out of the bag to continue the hole.  My score – bogey 6 because of the lost ball.

I think you might have short-changed yourself. The ladies in the group in front of you are "outside agencies", since they’re not part of your group. If there is reasonable evidence one of them hit your ball, you can replace your ball on the spot and play it without penalty, under Rule 18-1 Ball Moved, Deflected or Stopped by Outside Agency. If the ball is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted (see Note 1 to Rule 18). If you don’t know the exact spot at which to replace the ball, you play as per Rule 20-3c, which allows you to replace the ball "as near as possible" to the spot. The lady who hit your ball should also incur a two-stroke penalty for hitting a wrong ball. Cheers Colin Wilson RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/wilsonc.htm Trentham Golf Club: http://www.trenthamgolf.com

Response:

I very rarely have this problem. I can only recall having this happen once. I usually, but not always, mark my ball. I always identify my ball before playing a shot. Rob

Response:

Too many nimrods out there. Not only dont most of them mark their ball, a lot of them dont even know what kind of ball they are playing. "Uh, it was a TopFlite, I think". Duh. I saw a guy hit my ball, so I headed for it. I got there just before him and he called out that it was his ball. I picked it up and said "Are you playing a Revolution?"  He says (very unconvincingly) "Uh…..yeah"  I then said "Gee, are your initials TB also?" Tom

Response:

I did this the other week with a playing partner who had begun to annoy me – whever we were looking for his ball in the rough, he would just play the first ball he found. I had noticed that he had been using a pinnacle gold that day and I really did have the last laugh! When looking in the rough I found his ball and called ‘are you playing a titelist?’ ‘Yes’ he said ‘that’s the one’ ‘Oh well’ I said ’sorry mate this is a pinnacle!!’ ‘better go backl and play again!!’ I don’t think he will try it again!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Too many nimrods out there. Not only dont most of them mark their ball, a lot of them dont even know what kind of ball they are playing. "Uh, it was a TopFlite, I think". Duh. I saw a guy hit my ball, so I headed for it. I got there just before him and he called out that it was his ball. I picked it up and said "Are you playing a Revolution?"  He says (very unconvincingly) "Uh…..yeah"  I then said "Gee, are your initials TB also?" Tom

Response:

Yes I do – especially after playing in the Caribbean.  My ball ID is ugly & obvious [a permanent marker black ring around the ball name].  My ‘black halo’ matches my golf swing… If a ball mark is NOT obvious, the ball might vanish on a crowded course.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances.

Response:

This is the advantage of having one of those dorky ball monogram devices… it’s hard for someone else to lay claim to a ball which is embossed with my full name on both sides. Of course, even this assumes that a player will actually look at a ball before playing it.

I had one of those dorky ball monogram devices. It was just too much hassle. I took to just putting my initials on the ball – twice – in 3/4 inch high letters with a Sharpie. I have lost track of the times another golfer said "That’s my ball." and I get to respond "Only if your initials are DLH." I suppose someday it will happen, but I’ve yet to get a response other than "Oh, sorry." May your next round be your best round. Dave Holo RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/holod.htm Please: no spam, off topic, or crossposts as explained in the RSG FAQ: at  http://ttsoft.com/thor/rsggolf.html

Response:

Something that happened in my group during a tournament convinced me to always mark my ball. Two of my playing partners hit their tee shots very close together.  When they got to the balls, they realized they were both playing identical balls.  A Titleist 2, for example.  They had no choice but to declare the balls as lost, and return to the tee, hitting 3.

Response:

I mark my ball but not in a way that is that obvious… a purple dot on top of the logo/name on both sides of the ball. Your post made me laugh… how many times have you asked others you play with what they are playing and they reply "Titleist" or "Top Flite"… I usually laugh to myself and think of saying "Do you know how many brands and models Titleist (or whomever) makes???".  Now if people reply with the same brand I play, I will specifically point out (show them) my ball and my ball mark – it usually helps them be a little more conscious of checking their ball before hitting it for that round.  (Not always but in most cases!). Jen

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I had one of those dorky ball monogram devices. It was just too much hassle. I took to just putting my initials on the ball – twice – in 3/4 inch high letters with a Sharpie. I have lost track of the times another golfer said "That’s my ball." and I get to respond "Only if your initials are DLH." I suppose someday it will happen, but I’ve yet to get a response other than "Oh, sorry."

Response:

I had to pull another ball out of the bag to continue the hole.  My score – bogey 6 because of the lost ball. I think you might have short-changed yourself.

Hmm, maybe I should read the rules book more often. The ladies in the group in front of you are "outside agencies", since they’re not part of your group. If there is reasonable evidence one of them hit your ball, you can replace your ball on the spot and play it without penalty, under Rule 18-1 Ball Moved, Deflected or Stopped by Outside Agency. If the ball is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted (see Note 1 to Rule 18). If you don’t know the exact spot at which to replace the ball, you play as per Rule 20-3c, which allows you to replace the ball "as near as possible" to the spot.

I did play a new ball from the same spot but I counted the penalty anyways.  Its not often I hit a perfect shot and take a loss on it as well…. What would happen if I lost the ball in a hole by a burrowing animal? Wouldn’t that qualify as a lost ball and incur a penalty? The lady who hit your ball should also incur a two-stroke penalty for hitting a wrong ball.

I wonder if she even noticed later in the round what ball she had. Perhaps when she putted out, but then she didn’t bother returning the ball to me either. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Cheers Colin Wilson RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/wilsonc.htm Trentham Golf Club: http://www.trenthamgolf.com

Response:

Like Rick, I use a large "D" to mark my ball. I find that the downstroke of the "D" is just enough to cover the word "LADY" on the the Precept MC. Harlan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I certainly do, but it hasn’t stopped my playing partners from hitting it by mistake. Twice within a week I have had others play my ball.  I mark my ball with a large initial R on each side of the ball – 1 above the logo, 1 below.  I can tell my ball from 10 yds. away, but I guess others just don’t pay attention to what they are doing.  How can they miss the large "R" ?  It also helps when I need to yell down the fairway at some guy playing the wrong fairway that that’s MY ball and he’d better leave it alone…Every ball in my bag is identical except for the numbers printed on them…I know what my ball looks like. I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances. Rick R Charter Member, RSG Clique RSG FAQ:  http://ttsoft.com/thor/rsggolf.html

Response:

Too many nimrods out there. Not only dont most of them mark their ball, a lot of them dont even know what kind of ball they are playing. "Uh, it was a TopFlite, I think". Duh. I saw a guy hit my ball, so I headed for it. I got there just before him and he called out that it was his ball. I picked it up and said "Are you playing a Revolution?"  He says (very unconvincingly) "Uh…..yeah"  I then said "Gee, are your initials TB also?" Tom

    Some of us nimrods lose a lot of balls.  Those who lose balls also find a lot of balls in the process of looking for the ones lost.  Many of those found balls are marked in different ways, and if I’m playing with one I’ve found that day, I certainly haven’t marked it.  And if I’ve lost two balls in the last three swings, I’m also not real concerned with which one I grabbed out of the bag and hit.  But there are some Revolutions in there.     I know, it’s not the right approach under tournament conditions.  But today isn’t a tournament, and I’m just out having fun regardless of the score.  Sorry if I’ve intruded on your "under the USGA rules" game.     And yes, my initials are TB, but I don’t put them on the ball.  Whichever one it was.     … Tom

Response:

RSGers- I cant quote from verse, but the Rules say you must be able to identify your ball.  I go so far as to mark my provision balls differently than my first/possibly lost/OB ball.  Otherwise there is no real way to know which ball with ‘my’ mark was the first ball or the provisional. On Golf — "It is considered poor sportsmanship to pick up lost balls while they are still rolling." –Mark Twain Have fun, The AceyMan tj<dotleverette<atbigfoot<dotcom

Response:

i don’t but my father in law paints green polkadots on his .you can,t miss em.

Response:

Mark your ball before you wave them through.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was playing alone today [walking] and a cart with 2 fellows came up behind me. I had just hit 2 balls on a par 3 and stepped aside to let them play through. Both hit and went merrily on their way. Both of their balls landed in the general area as mine as none of us hit the green. After they played through, I went to where I thought my balls were and was amazed that they were gone. I was able to find 2 balls but both weren’t the one I started out with. Evidently the guys hit the first thing they saw and never took the time to check if it was their ball or not. This has happened to me before and I was just wondering how many people out there take the time to see if it’s their ball that they are about to put into play. Personally, I check each time whether I’m playing alone or with someone. I really wonder if it is something that’s done or if we just go through the motions and take our chances.

Response:

I was playing with a local pro one day and I pushed my drive into the rough of another hole.  As I walked towards my ball I saw a guy lining up to hit a ball. His partner yelled that he didn’t think that was his ball and pointed to a ball in the fairway. I yelled for him to check the ball but he ignored me and hit the ball.  THEN he paid attention to what his partner was saying, the guy looked at me and said "oh, I musta hit your ball".  He then proceded to give me his ball, I told him that I needed MY ball as I was playing for score and asked him to bring it back to me as my group was waiting.  The guy stared at me for a second and then said "That’ll take too, long take mine". I told him again that I needed the ball and I would go with him to get it. I still got a blank stare, then I told him to save his energy I’ll get it myself. I walked up the fairway picked up the ball brought it back and placed it where it was, this guy didn’t move and started to get angry. Luckly the pro walked up so the guy moved on.  Some people are MORONS that shouldn’t come near a golf course or attempt to breed

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Stuff happens.  One day I (playing single) was following a 4-group of ladies.  Both carts rummaged around the fairway for a while before breaking off to the light rough on the left.  After waiting for a lengthy period, watching the ladies play their second (and third) shots, I teed up and accidentally hit the ball perfectly square, hitting it farther than I ever had on that hole before and dead centre of the fairway.  I hit it past where the ladies had just moved from. Then one cart came back to the middle of the fairway and hit one more ball.  Oh, Oh, I wondered. At that point a twosome joined me from the previous hole and we teamed together.  After they hit their tee shots we started out to our balls. The twosome had both found the rough on the right and went searching. My ball was down the centre but for some reason, I could not find it! My only conclusion is that the one of the ladies mistook my ball for theirs and played it.  I had to pull another ball out of the bag to continue the hole.  My score – bogey 6 because of the lost ball. I usually mark my ball in a distinctive manner.  On opposites sides, I colour in 3 consecutive dimples with red marker.  Makes it so much easier to identify.  But apparently the ladies never bothered to ID the ball they were hitting.  I mark my ball like this because when I first started golfing, I accidentally played other peoples balls.  So to keep from embarrassing myself, I make a point of being colourful.

Response:

OK, I get it. I am wrong for wanting you to be able to identify the ball that you are playing, and not wanting you to hit my ball and ruin my game. My bad. Tom other Tom wrote…  Some of us nimrods lose a lot of balls.  Those who lose

balls also find a – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -lot of balls in the process of looking for the ones lost.  Many of those found balls are marked in different ways, and if I’m playing with one I’ve found that day, I certainly haven’t marked it.  And if I’ve lost two balls in the last three swings, I’m also not real concerned with which one I grabbed out of the bag and hit.  But there are some Revolutions in there.    I know, it’s not the right approach under tournament conditions.  But today isn’t a tournament, and I’m just out having fun regardless of the score. Sorry if I’ve intruded on your "under the USGA rules" game.    And yes, my initials are TB, but I don’t put them on the ball.  Whichever one it was.    … Tom

Response:

Related Posts

• Dometic frig. - I'm confused
• T&C Fuel Tank and Black Exhaust Pipe
• Ampeg B15 Speaker Replacement
• Anyone notice Freddie's clubs at the Open?
• FS: OSCILLATORS-OSCILLOSCOPES-VOLT METERS-ANALYZERS-VARIACS
• Target Heart Rate
• My Honda Shocked Me!
• Minolta 300si Question
• The 10% Question
• ruined sideboard top