Ball taken - ruling?

JackInDaCrak · #1 11-05-2007, 04:03 PM

Yesterday I'm playing on a muni course. On the 422 yd Par 4 14th, we wait to tee off until the group in front of us is clearly over 300 yards out.

I really get ahold of my driver, and it rolls up near the group in front of us, probably like 320+ yards total in center fairway (brag). Now, this is about a 1% drive for me... I don't hit 'em like that, ever.

The group in front is still hitting their approach shots, and they all do. I watch three of 'em walk by my ball, look at it, and move on. The fourth I see drive past it and pick it up.

I drive up to the green and ask these guys if they found my ball. They all say no, then two of 'em turn to a third and say, "maybe that ball was his dude" so he pulls my ball out of his pocket and hands it to me.

Obviously, huge KITN for this guy, but muni golf is, well, muni golf.
Do I just get my playing partner to agree on a spot for my drive and play from there? Or, should I ask this douchebag where he picked it up? I wasn't sure what to do wrt my next shot/drop/penalty/etc

black knight · #2 11-05-2007, 05:36 PM

Ask the douche where he picked up AND get your playing partner to agree on where it was. I hope you called 'fore' and apologized.

JackInDaCrak · #3 11-05-2007, 06:16 PM

Of course I called Fore and apologized - they probably didn't hear the fore as the hole is next to a fairly busy street. And I apologized because I certainly wasn't trying to hit into them. This drive was further than all but one drive I've ever hit in my life, and 30-40 yards past my "good" drive distance.

black knight · #4 11-05-2007, 07:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Of course I called Fore and apologized - they probably didn't hear the fore as the hole is next to a fairly busy street. And I apologized because I certainly wasn't trying to hit into them. This drive was further than all but one drive I've ever hit in my life, and 30-40 yards past my "good" drive distance.

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I'm not saying you did anything wrong...those things happen.

I hit a 270 par 4 into a 2club wind with a 3i (I was trying to lay up 60-70yds short and hit a career shot which got a good bounce)...they refused to believe that I hit a 3i even though I was playing with a pro shop employee (one douche actually started a fight over this).

ntnBO · #5 11-06-2007, 12:57 AM

You are required to drop your ball as close as possible to where it was picked up(as agreed on by your group) with no penalty.

BO

Ryno · #6 11-06-2007, 01:12 AM

If you saw the player pick up the ball, you can drop in the approximate spot with no penalty.

BTW not hitting into a group in front of you is pretty easy. It's not like the extra couple of minutes is going to matter...you won't be finishing any sooner.

ghostface · #7 11-07-2007, 06:12 PM

when an outside agency moves a ball at rest it must be replaced and played from there.

black knight · #8 11-08-2007, 12:55 AM

Play it as it lies, ftw? Take your putter and hit him in the leg (ball in pocket)? :P That'll teach 'em for taking your ball.

chucksim · #9 11-24-2007, 04:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
when an outside agency moves a ball at rest it must be replaced and played from there.

[/ QUOTE ]

BigSoonerFan · #10 11-25-2007, 06:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If you saw the player pick up the ball, you can drop in the approximate spot with no penalty.

BTW not hitting into a group in front of you is pretty easy. It's not like the extra couple of minutes is going to matter...you won't be finishing any sooner.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes you just don't realize that they're in range. A few years ago I was playing my first round of the season and had 250 into the wind on a wet course. Usually on good days I may be able to roll a three wood 250. That day I FLEW the ball pin-high. Luckily I pulled the ball just left of the green where it almost plugged. How I hit a three wood into the wind I'll never know (a slight pull helped). A mistake on my part apparently...but sometimes you just hit the screws better than you ever thought you could.