You mark your spot, toss your ball to your caddie and...

[Shipwreck]

They completely whiff the catch and the ball rolls into a water hazard. Is there any penalty for this?

[MadGolfer76]

I would say chase the caddie around the green with your sand wedge. After four laps, I would call it good.

[SNIPERBBB]

If you can deem that the player did not deliberately cause the ball to not be able to be recovered in a few seconds, there isnt a penalty. Its one of the few exceptions of being allowed to substitute a ball.

[antip]

2019 changed this, no longer a penalty. See 14.2a Exception.

[Newby]

> @SNIPERBBB said:

> If you can deem that the player did not deliberately cause the ball to not be able to be recovered in a few seconds, there isnt a penalty. Its one of the few exceptions of being allowed to substitute a ball.

 

There are very few situations now where you can't change your ball. Essentially, when you have to replace it.

[Noles]

I caddied for over 20 years at the same course and there were ponds on #2 and #6. I knew all the members so I knew who I could do this with and who I would not dare. It became known as the hidden ball trick. Usually on #6 I would do it and guys who I caddied for a lot began to look for it. A guy would give me his ball to clean after he marked it and I would have an old ball in my bib. I would change the balls when he wasn't looking and toss it back to him but over his head so that it would bounce into the pond. I would react with total shock and immediately apologize. I'd let it go for a few seconds before I gave them their real ball. No one ever got mad. They guys that were watching would always get a kick out of it.

[cxx]

I always thought the caddy went in after the ball.

[Sawgrass]

> @cxx said:

> I always thought the caddy went in after the ball.

 

Perhaps that's why Noles identified the members with whom he would not do this!

[MikekiM]

Used to be a rule against substituting it.. Rules Junkie: Why Dustin Johnson's Caddie Jumped In A Lake

 

[TerpFangolfer]

Yeah, I knew this had happened on tour a few times...