ob vs lost ball

gandor · November 7, 2008

ok...im a bit confused which one to follow. here are some scenarios...

my home course first tee is right next to the range.

- i hit my first shot off the tee

- my ball went to the driving range area which means i cant hit it from there but i can see my ball.

Q: is this ob and hit another ball from the tee?

next, first shot goes to the range area but can't find the ball but its obvious it went there.

Q: is this lost ball or ob?

next, very tight fairway and pretty much if it goes outside of the fairway there's no way to find or hit your ball.

- first and second shot went outside the fairway

Q: play your third ball at the same distance inside the fairway where the ball went outside?

klaymon · November 7, 2008

1) If it is marked OB, you are 3 on the tee.

2) Largely irrelevant as the penalty is the same. Is it marked OB? Then it is OB. If not, it is lost. Strokes lost is the same. 3 from the tee.

3) No. Balls are lost and a 3rd ball is played from the original location. If both balls lost are from the tee, you are sitting 5 on the tee.

OB and lost carry the same penalty and have the same solution. Take a penalty stroke and hit from the original location.

gandor · November 7, 2008

1) If it is marked OB, you are 3 on the tee.

2) Largely irrelevant as the penalty is the same. Is it marked OB? Then it is OB. If not, it is lost. Strokes lost is the same. 3 from the tee.

3) No. Balls are lost and a 3rd ball is played from the original location. If both balls lost are from the tee, you are sitting 5 on the tee.

OB and lost carry the same penalty and have the same solution. Take a penalty stroke and hit from the original location.

so basically same penalty and same procedure(go back and hit from the original spot)?

klaymon · November 7, 2008

Correct.

bigred90gt · December 30, 2008

ok...im a bit confused which one to follow. here are some scenarios...

my home course first tee is right next to the range.
- i hit my first shot off the tee
- my ball went to the driving range area which means i cant hit it from there but i can see my ball.
Q: is this ob and hit another ball from the tee?

I have a question about this. If a driving range is not marked with white stakes signifying OB, is there a rule that says you cannot hit from the range, even if you can clearly see your ball? Would this be a local rule, or a USGA rule?

I ask because a course I play frequently, the #1 and #10 are on opposite sides of the range, and it is not uncommon for me or my playing partners to hit a hook or slice into the edge of the range. There are no stakes defining the range as OB, and I have never heard of a rule that states it is, so I am curious after reading this thread.

jaskanski · December 30, 2008

I think it would be probably written on the card of the course whether or not play is permissable form the range ( local rule). Due to implications of playing from within an active range, I would say not. Unless there is a designated drop zone, it would probably have to be treated as OB.

dukedsp · December 30, 2008

If it is not marked as OB or indicated on the scorecard as OB and you can identify it as your ball, then you can hit it.

dukedsp · December 30, 2008

1) If it is marked OB, you are 3 on the tee.

2) Largely irrelevant as the penalty is the same. Is it marked OB? Then it is OB. If not, it is lost. Strokes lost is the same. 3 from the tee.

3) No. Balls are lost and a 3rd ball is played from the original location. If both balls lost are from the tee, you are sitting 5 on the tee.

OB and lost carry the same penalty and have the same solution. Take a penalty stroke and hit from the original location.

Actually

1) sitting 2 (hitting 3) on the tee

2) sitting 2 (hitting 3) on the tee

3) sitting 4 (hitting 5) on the tee