Three minutes are allowed to find a lost ball – but when exactly does the countdown start according to golf rules?
Everyone knows the scene: a ball disappears in the thick rough, fellow players immediately start searching – while the affected player strolls behind. The question arises: when does the clock actually start? Golf rules are clear: the search time only begins when the player or their caddie actively starts looking. According to Rule 18.2a, it does not matter when others begin searching; the three minutes start only when the player actively searches.
Since 2019, the allowed search time is limited to three minutes, reduced from five to speed up play. If the ball is not found within this time, it is considered lost. The player must then take a penalty stroke and return to the spot of the previous stroke.
Slow Players Lose – How Golf Rules Enforce the Time Limit
Nevertheless, some golfers take their time. The rules also address this: a player who deliberately delays to let others do the searching cannot claim a later start for the search clock. The timer runs from when the player could have reasonably started searching without delay. This keeps the game fair and flowing.
Found Doesn’t Mean Identified
If the ball is found in time, the search is over according to the clock. But what if it’s unclear whether it’s the player’s own ball? The rules allow a “reasonable time” for identification. The ball may be lifted, marked, and lightly cleaned, provided the spot is marked. The key is that the discovery occurs within three minutes. Afterward, players can take time to confirm it’s their ball.
If two identical balls lie within the search area, confusion often arises. Here too, the rules help: if the original ball can’t be identified, the player may decide which ball is provisional; the other is then out of play.
Ball Moved? No Problem – But Remember to Replace
Especially in dense rough or sand, the ball might be accidentally moved during search. The rule: as long as this occurs during normal search, no penalty applies. The ball must simply be replaced on its original spot – whether under branches or partially buried. The rules leave no room for interpretation: who searches must also act properly.