Identifying your ball

[Keve]

I've actually been in a situation where a guy hits a ball into rough, hits a provisional into the same area, doesn't find his 1st plays the provisional onto the green, once he's there claims he's made a mistake this is actually his original ball. We were stumped as to what to do, he was my team mate. I threw the next hole to even things up, just a bounce game not a club match.

[M0stly harm13ss]

I've actually been in a situation where a guy hits a ball into rough, hits a provisional into the same area, doesn't find his 1st plays the provisional onto the green, once he's there claims he's made a mistake this is actually his original ball. We were stumped as to what to do, he was my team mate. I threw the next hole to even things up, just a bounce game not a club match.

Setting aside all the discussion about 5 minute limits to look for balls.

He couldn't properly id his ball when he found it so should have forgone any further participation in the hole (evidenced by the fact that he couldn't tell which ball it was until after the hole was finished). I personally would have let the original hole result stand (i.e. a loss) and put it down to a lesson learnt (Never play a provisional the same make, number and condition as the first ball you hit. At best you are going to have problems if you hit both into the same area, at worst someone may accuse you of cheating)

[Vince Baby]

It still surprises me the number of people I play with in comps who don't mark their ball or declare what they're playing as a provisional.

Like it's difficult to scribble a sharpie mark on a ball? 

Mind you, I've played a number of times with a guy at my place who seems to have a brain fart every so often and plays the ball he fancies the look of, which most often isn't his own...

And on that subject, if you play the wrong ball, it's a 2 shot penalty (I think). But do you count the stroke at the wrong ball as well?

I never seem to get round to looking that one up.

[ask3l]

As pointed out earlier, who is to say it wasn't the same number you lost in that place before so marking isn't foolproof. That's not to think you are the only person who marks their ball in that way! It is another piece of Tour practice that filtered down to everyday golf.

[oldslugger]

I never used to mark my balls as I was the only one at the club playing with Srixon balls (AD333 & ZURCs), and would declare what type and number on the first tee, if I was errant with my driving, I would also declare my provisional usually the AD333 and its number. As Srixon balls have become more popular, I feel that I now have too mark my balls somehow, kind of tempted to get a few dozen logo'd balls as I am a lazy git.

As others have stated, golf is a self regulatory game where honesty and sportsmanship prevail, and your word counts for something, unfortunately there will always be a few who will use this to their advantage. Where will it all end? Who knows, but it will indeed be a sad day when before everyone tees off they have to make sure they have the days date scribbled on their ball, what of the good golfers who play more than a few holes with their ball? Will they need to scibble out the last date and put the new date on? I would be royally p*ssed off if I have to give the person who's marking my card my ball so that he can scribble some sh*te on it.

[ask3l]

Of course the advantage of putting your name, address, date of birth, national insurance# and mark on your ball is that you would only have to put on a stamp and when someone found it they could stick it in a Post Box for you.
Might look like one of Duffy Waldorf's rejects but "every cloud" as they say 

[Longshot]

I would be royally p*ssed off if I have to give the person who's marking my card my ball so that he can scribble some sh*te on it.

Just think of the opportunity though.

Player 1: "Why have you written #3 on this ball?"

You: "'Cos that's where you're going to lose it when you hit that big slice of yours into the lake"

 

[Stu-Pid]

Player 1: "Why have you written #3 on this ball?"

You: "'Cos that's where you're going to lose it when you hit that big slice of yours into the lake"

Ah, but would that count as advice?   




 

[Jono]

I never used to mark my balls as I was the only one at the club playing with Srixon balls (AD333 & ZURCs), and would declare what type and number on the first tee, if I was errant with my driving, I would also declare my provisional usually the AD333 and its number. As Srixon balls have become more popular, I feel that I now have too mark my balls somehow, kind of tempted to get a few dozen logo'd balls as I am a lazy git.

As others have stated, golf is a self regulatory game where honesty and sportsmanship prevail, and your word counts for something, unfortunately there will always be a few who will use this to their advantage. Where will it all end? Who knows, but it will indeed be a sad day when before everyone tees off they have to make sure they have the days date scribbled on their ball, what of the good golfers who play more than a few holes with their ball? Will they need to scibble out the last date and put the new date on? I would be royally p*ssed off if I have to give the person who's marking my card my ball so that he can scribble some sh*te on it.

unless of course its a titlesit pro v1 that you have in play and then proceed to wallop my partners ball into a bunker before he gets a chance to hit it.

[oldslugger]

unless of course its a titlesit pro v1 that you have in play and then proceed to wallop my partners ball into a bunker before he gets a chance to hit it.

That's because your mate came to it first and didn't think it was his, I hardly ever play ProV1s, but had some freebies off a mate, which ofcourse didn't last long