Lost balls - counting strokes / penalties

tam · July 21, 2008

Amatuers v. pros?

I'm sorry, this is a dumb question, but I couldn't find an answer with the search.

My dad and I were out playing this weekend, and on a long par 5 I hit my drive into the water. I teed up another one, and I got it on the fairway, but it went real high and not very long. I remarked "dang, that's three strokes already, and I've got a looong way to go." My dad says, "no, that's only two. You've only hit it twice."

I thought that when you hit in the water, you count that hit, plus you take a penalty stroke. So that's two. Then when you tee up and hit again, that's three. My dad says that that might be the rule for the pros, but that amatuers don't count an extra penalty stroke. Is that true? Is that really a "rule" for amatuers, or is that just something people do when playing for fun with their buddies, i.e., a mulligan of sorts? I want to be sure I know what the official rule is.

Thank you.

krustyburger · July 21, 2008

I'm sorry, this is a dumb question, but I couldn't find an answer with the search.

My dad and I were out playing this weekend, and on a long par 5 I hit my drive into the water. I teed up another one, and I got it on the fairway, but it went real high and not very long. I remarked "dang, that's three strokes already, and I've got a looong way to go." My dad says, "no, that's only two. You've only hit it twice."

I thought that when you hit in the water, you count that hit, plus you take a penalty stroke. So that's two. Then when you tee up and hit again, that's three. My dad says that that might be the rule for the pros, but that amatuers don't count an extra penalty stroke. Is that true? Is that really a "rule" for amatuers, or is that just something people do when playing for fun with their buddies, i.e., a mulligan of sorts? I want to be sure I know what the official rule is.

Thank you.

The rules for amateurs are the same as for the pros. You were correct, you were hitting three off of the tee with your second shot.

phil75070 · July 21, 2008

There is only one set of Rules. You were correct that you were laying three.

tam · July 21, 2008

Thank you for the quick replies. :)

golfortennis · July 21, 2008

The only other option you would have had was, depending on how the hole is laid out(ie, did your tee shot bounce on the ground and then go in, etc.) is you may have been entitled to a drop where your ball entered the water. You could have then dropped, and with your penalty stroke been hitting your third shot, however based on how you describe it, yes you were hitting three.

The only rule that is different for the pros from the amateurs is that the pros can have someone tell them where to deposit the check they got for their play.