[vTLWqa1l]

So you're playing alone, hitting your second shot on a par 5 on an overcast day. There's not much in the way of trouble around, unless you hit a horrific shot.

You hit the ball, feel solid contact, but can't find it in flight anywhere. You know you hit it well, you're just not sure where. You look a bit right where you felt like it went, then you you look left, long, short and everywhere else you can think of. You simply can't find the ball since you never saw it.

Now, officially, there's obviously no debate. It's a lost ball. You go back to where you last hit, take a penalty stroke and play again. I'm pretty much a stickler for the rules when it comes to myself. I don't get upset when my playing partners are more liberal with the rules, but I generally play it straight up.

However, in this situation, I found myself in great internal strife about what to do. I *knew* the ball wasn't lost. It was a good shot. I just didn't have any help to track it. Had I been playing with someone, it would have been found.

The day was so overcast the same situation happened two more times. Each time I struggled with whether to give myself a bit of a break and drop a ball where I thought it was likely to have gone, or to drop a ball with a penalty stroke where I thought it had gone, or to obey the letter of the law and take stroke and distance despite my strong conviction the ball would still have been in play had I had a partner.

Just curious what others do in this situation.

[oranowdenda]

If I was just playing by myself I would just drop one where I thought it should be and take a stroke. No big deal.

[RicardoHun]

I would say drop and take a stroke. It isn't a huge deal and it speeds up pace. It sucks that this happened, but unfortunately it does happen when you play alone.

[Feloascarlelt]

Happened to me on Monday and I was playing with someone. I hit what I thought was a good shot and tracked the ball and it landed behind the green. I carried my clubs to hit a shot up on the green but had no luck finding the ball. After searching for about 10 minutes behind the green in some rough (not really bad), I had a question for myself. I knew there was no way the ball could be lost and that I was just looking over it. So do I just say that I found it and drop it there and hit or go back to the spot and hit??

I went back to the spot and hit even after my partner says just drop it there and hit it.

[NvrNoNowX]

I would just assume that it went into the hole and move onto the next teebox.

[biannaruh]

Is it a round you are tracking for handicap purposes? If so, go back to where you hit from, drop and take your penalty.

[illerlytoindy]

it depends on what your going for if your playing for fun or your playing for rules and score keeping so on just improve anyway you can if for fun drop a ball take a stroke or drop a ball and not worry about it.

[teewHettive]

You're playing alone so it really doesn't matter because nothing is at stake with anyone. When I am in that situation, if I have no idea where I hit it, I hit another one, and if I don't find the first one I will play the second. I did that once this year. I hit both balls within a yard of each other in the middle of the fairway! Played the first of course.

If I happened to not find the first and by playing the second it would have been a milestone round (9 or 18) then I would take the appropriate penalty and hopefully I would still get the milestone.

[overavantstandard]

If you are recording scores then you have take the penalty. If your not then what ever you feel is right.

[AliceFromHouston]

I would just assume that it went into the hole and move onto the next teebox.

Good Plan!!


No seriously...if I was playing alone and just practicing....I would drop about where I would normally hit it to and take a stroke and play on from there.

[Solo3uc4]

This is one of the reasons why I like to play with someone else. I will always try to pair up if I happen to be a single. Having someone to be able to watch your shot is key.

[colmedindustry]

yeah....it just depends on your round man.
if you're just practicing, it really doesn't matter....drop it where you think it went and take the stroke or quickly drop another and play the one you find.

in competition or anything official, you're doing the right thing. but as you said, in that case...you'd have playing partners to help spot or locate your ball.

this is why it's tough to play by yourself sometimes as convenient as it is, but at the end of the day, when you're by yourself, it's a practice round.

[gabbaman]

I drop a ball where I think my ball my have gone and take a penalty.

[education]

If it's for handicap, go back, drop and take the penalty. Just practice? Drop a ball.

[Info-phone]

So you're playing alone, hitting your second shot on a par 5 on an overcast day. There's not much in the way of trouble around, unless you hit a horrific shot.

You hit the ball, feel solid contact, but can't find it in flight anywhere. You know you hit it well, you're just not sure where. You look a bit right where you felt like it went, then you you look left, long, short and everywhere else you can think of. You simply can't find the ball since you never saw it.

Now, officially, there's obviously no debate. It's a lost ball. You go back to where you last hit, take a penalty stroke and play again. I'm pretty much a stickler for the rules when it comes to myself. I don't get upset when my playing partners are more liberal with the rules, but I generally play it straight up.

However, in this situation, I found myself in great internal strife about what to do. I *knew* the ball wasn't lost. It was a good shot. I just didn't have any help to track it. Had I been playing with someone, it would have been found.

The day was so overcast the same situation happened two more times. Each time I struggled with whether to give myself a bit of a break and drop a ball where I thought it was likely to have gone, or to drop a ball with a penalty stroke where I thought it had gone, or to obey the letter of the law and take stroke and distance despite my strong conviction the ball would still have been in play had I had a partner.

Just curious what others do in this situation.

I'd probably follow the rulebook 19/20 times. It sucks, a LOT, but it's the way it goes.. If you can't find the ball anywhere in the fairway, it probably wasn't a great shot.

[KirillAristov]

Drop and stroke. Keeps you moving, and it's likely a practice round as much as anything. My eyes aren't great for distance, so I try to play with others and avoid this scenario.
Also, I'd just plotz if I got an HIO or something exotic by myself..."Hey, guess what happened on...ah. Never mind."

[Snocioncilm]

Playing alone? No friends? (lol)

Do whatever you want. As a single you have no "standing" on the golf course so you should not go back ad re-hit if it will delay the group behind. I don't think you should post scores shot when playing alone; you can't really claim a hole in one without a witness either so I say it does not matter.

I would drop a ball where I thought the ball should have been and use the round as practice to see what I need to work on most.

[DoctorTentonyya]

I would say drop and take a stroke. It isn't a huge deal and it speeds up pace. It sucks that this happened, but unfortunately it does happen when you play alone.

I agree with this^^^ 100%

[hrthwhr]

Playing alone? No friends? (lol)

Do whatever you want. As a single you have no "standing" on the golf course so you should not go back ad re-hit if it will delay the group behind. I don't think you should post scores shot when playing alone; you can't really claim a hole in one without a witness either so I say it does not matter.

Just FYI - the USGA disagrees. If you play according to the rules, the USGA says you should post your scores when playing alone.

But if you take the "just drop where you thought it would be" route, then that would not be according to the rules and you probably should not post it. And of course, that's a hole you can drive a truck through when it comes to sandbaggers: "Oh gosh, I didn't follow the rules on the last shot of the 79 round I just played. Oh well, can't post that one."

[Nfvzjvcl]

Just FYI - the USGA disagrees. If you play according to the rules, the USGA says you should post your scores when playing alone.

But if you take the "just drop where you thought it would be" route, then that would not be according to the rules and you probably should not post it. And of course, that's a hole you can drive a truck through when it comes to sandbaggers: "Oh gosh, I didn't follow the rules on the last shot of the 79 round I just played. Oh well, can't post that one."

I stand corrected. I thought that a round played alone would be only for practice. Certainly if a round is to be posted it must be played in accordance with the rules. I presume then that there can be no "do overs", no use of slope measuring devices, no 15th club etc.