Golf Tips: Lost Golf Balls

We all end up in a golf ball search at some point in time.  That shiny new ProV1 is too expensive to let go, and so is the chance of making a good score.  How long are we golfers allowed to search for a golf ball? Five Minutes Golfers are allowed five minutes to search for their ball, AFTER they have arrived at the search location.  The time does not start until the player arrives at the spot and is not timed from the moment the previous shot was played. If a ball is out of bounds, there is no five minute time as the search applies to finding a ball that is in play.  Don't was your time and the players' time behind your group looking for an OB ball. If the group behind is pushing you, wave them through and allow them to play on.  This will not only make them more happy and be more polite of you, it will give you more time to search for that shiny ProV1, and maybe turn a double or triple bogey into a par. Search Smart When searching during the five minute period, do so in an intelligent fashion, rather than aimlessly wandering around in random directions.  Take a grid-approach and walk a straight line through the area you think the ball should be in.  Move a few feet, turn around, walk the same line back. To help keep up the pace of your group, help players look for their lost balls.  They should also in turn help you look for yours. If a ball search begins, the player who lost the ball should inform the group as to the model of the ball, and if there are any unique identifying markings on it.  This will make the search go faster as players will not have to ask, "are you hitting a..." every time they find a ball. Conclusion Losing a ball now and then is simply part of the game.  Approach the search in a smart fashion and take no more than five minutes to look for it.