Rules · Tip
Your Ball Is Lost in Ground Under Repair
Part of our rules programs. Build a program with it
You can't find your ball, but you think it went into ground under repair. Rule 16.1e lets you take free relief, but only if it's known or virtually certain the ball ended up in there. Then use the spot where it last crossed into the area to work out your relief. If it isn't known or virtually certain, and the ball is lost, you must take stroke and distance. A hunch isn't enough. When unsure, hit a provisional.
Step by step
- Ask: is it known or virtually certain?
- If yes, estimate where it went in.
- Take free relief from there.
- If not, take stroke and distance.
- Hit a provisional when unsure.
Why it works
The rules require evidence before you get free relief, because a lost ball normally costs you stroke and distance. Known or virtually certain means there is a clear fact, such as seeing the ball bounce in or no other place it could be. Once that standard is met, the point where the ball last crossed into the area fixes your relief, so you play from a fair reference point instead of guessing.
Common mistakes
- You assume the ball is in the area because it was heading that way.Ask what you actually saw or what else could have happened, and take free relief only if the answer makes it virtually certain.
- You pick a convenient entry point close to the fairway or the hole.Estimate the spot where the ball last crossed the edge of the area, based on its line and where you saw it go in.
- You search for a long time and then decide the ball must be in the area.Decide before you search, and if the standard isn't met, hit a provisional or return to play stroke and distance.
How you'll know it's working
- You can state in one sentence the fact that makes it known or virtually certain.
- You can point to the edge where the ball last crossed, and your playing partners agree it is reasonable.
- When you are unsure, a provisional ball is already in play before you walk forward.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice on a hole where the ground under repair is easy to see, and walk the likely entry point with a playing partner before you decide.
Harder: Practice with a ball that leaves your sight over a rise or in rough, and decide on the spot whether the standard is met, then hit a provisional if it isn't.
Common questions
What does virtually certain mean in golf rules?
It means the facts show at least a 95 percent chance the ball is in the area, which is much stronger than a feeling or a guess. A clear sighting of the ball going in, or having no other place it could be, can meet it.
What happens if I can't find my ball in ground under repair?
If it isn't known or virtually certain that the ball is in the area, the ball is lost and you take stroke and distance. If it is known or virtually certain, you take free relief using the spot where the ball last crossed into the area.
