Question: Hidden golf ball in heavy rough stepped on by Player

Good evening

In our monthly medal we had a player searching for his ball in heavy rough. He found it by stepping on it and forcing it down closer to the ground.

The new rule states there is no longer a penalty and the ball is to be 'replaced'. However, in this situation it was impossible to determine the original lie as nobody saw it.

Question: How does the player proceed?

Does the player simply try to honestly recreate the lie using their best judgement?Should the player, in equity, drop the ball in the spot it was found?Thanks very much

WhiZ

Let's get right to the Rules and Interpretations:7.4/1 – Estimating Original Spot on Which to Replace Ball Moved During SearchWhen a player’s ball is accidentally moved during a search and its original spot where it must be replaced must be estimated, the player should consider all reasonably available evidence about where the ball was located before it was moved.

For example, when estimating a ball’s original spot, the player should consider:

How the ball was found (for example, whether it was stepped on, kicked or moved with a probing club or hand),If it was visible or not, andIts location relative to the ground and any growing objects, such as whether it was lying against or under the grass and how deep in the grass it was located.In replacing the ball, the player is not required to replace loose impediments (such as leaves) that may have been moved since loose impediments are not part of the lie and, in many cases, it would be nearly impossible to reconstruct the original situation if loose impediments were required to be replaced.

For example, while searching for a ball that is covered by leaves in a penalty area, the player kicks the ball and moves the leaves that were close to the ball. Although the ball must be replaced on its original or estimated spot, the leaves do not need to be put back in their original position even when the ball would certainly have been lying under the leaves.

Thank you rogolf. Greatly appreciated!

In the end, the player deemed the ball unplayable (which I'm certain would have been the end result no matter what he did considering the density of the grass in the area - it was a minor miracle he located it at all) and proceeded as such.

I appreciate your clarification of the procedure.

WhiZ