Lost ball plugged

[Tin Pot]

Cheers for all the replies.

It wasn't a situation we found ourselves in this weekend but a discussion in the pub.

Our 1st/2nd/17th/18th holes are at the bottom of a large hill with poor drainage so during the winter months the ground becomes very wet that many shots that land in the fairway end up plugged, some easy to find some lost. I think during the winter there is a local rule in place (not 100% sure as didn't play any comps this winter) however our discussion was what would happen if say this happened last weekend after we'd had a lot of rain the previous week.

Some argued you can't lose a ball in the fairway others said if you can't find it you can't be sure, lost ball.

You'd be good to take a drop if the fairway you saw it land in and disappear was an area of casual water.