knowledge or virtual certainty that a ball is lost?
Rule 26-1c.
Decision 26-1/1 [Meaning of
“Known or Virtually Certain”]
discusses
what
constitutes
“knowledge” and what constitutes
“virtual certainty” that a ball,
which has not been found, has
either been moved by an outside
agency or is in an obstruction, an
abnormal ground condition or a
water hazard. “Knowledge” can
be acquired via visual observation
by the player, other members
of the group, or other reliable
witnesses such as referees or
spectators. Unlike “knowledge,”
“virtual certainty” implies some
small degree of doubt about the
actual location of a ball that has
not been found. In determining
if “virtual certainty” exists, some
of the relevant factors to be
considered include topography,
turf conditions, grass heights,
visibility, weather conditions and
the proximity of trees and bushes.
Further exploration within the
Decisions leads to the discovery of
the following clarifications:
• If it is known or virtually
certain that your ball is lost either
in a water hazard or in an adjacent
area of casual water overflowing
the hazard, you must proceed
under the water hazard Rule. See
Decision 1-4/7 [Ball Lost in Either
Water Hazard or Casual Water
Overflowing Hazard].
• When it is known or virtually
certain that your ball is lost in an
abnormal ground condition, an
obstruction, or a water hazard,
and you drop a ball under the
applicable Rule, you must continue
play with the dropped ball even if
you subsequently find your original
ball within the five-minute search
period. See Decisions 25-1c/2.5
[Ball Dropped Under Rule 251c with Knowledge or Virtual
Certainty That Ball Is in Casual
Water; Original Ball Then Found]
and 26-1/3.5 [Ball Dropped
Under Water Hazard Rule with
Knowledge or Virtual Certainty;
Original Ball Then Found]
• When it is not known or
virtually certain that your ball is lost
in an abnormal ground condition,
an obstruction, or a water hazard,
but you go ahead and drop a ball
to take relief from the condition,
if you then find your original ball
within the five-minute search
period before you have played the
dropped ball, you must continue
play with the original ball. Because
it was not known or virtually
certain that your ball was lost in
the condition, the dropped ball was
incorrectly substituted under an
inapplicable Rule. Therefore, you
must correct your error under Rule
20-6 by abandoning the dropped
ball and continuing play with the
original ball.