Three minutes are allowed to find a lost ball – but when exactly does the countdown start according to golf rules?
Almost every golfer has experienced this situation: A ball disappears into the thick rough, fellow players immediately start searching, while the player involved strolls casually behind. So when does the clock actually start? The golf rules are clear: the search time only begins when the player or their caddie actively starts searching. According to Rule 18.2a, it doesn’t matter when fellow players or spectators begin looking – the three minutes only start once the player themselves begins the search.
Since 2019, the allowed search time has been limited to three minutes. Previously it was five, but the rules were adjusted to speed up play. If the ball isn’t found within this time, it is deemed lost and the player must proceed back to the previous spot with a penalty stroke.
Delaying Costs You: How Golf Rules Enforce Search Time
Yet, some golfers take their time. The rules also address this clearly. Players who purposely delay to let their group search first cannot claim a later start time for their three minutes. The clock starts at the moment the player could have started searching without delay. This keeps the game fair and flowing smoothly.
Found Does Not Mean Identified
If the ball is spotted in time, the search ends—at least time-wise. But what if it’s unclear whether the ball is actually theirs? No problem: the rules allow a reasonable amount of time for identification. The ball may be picked up, marked, and lightly cleaned as long as the spot is marked. The key is that the ball is found within three minutes. After that, a bit of extra time to confirm ownership is permitted.
If two identical balls are found nearby, confusion often arises. The rules help here too: if the original ball cannot be clearly identified, the player can decide which ball counts as provisional. The other is then out of play.
Ball Moved? No Problem—but Remember to Replace It
It often happens in thick rough or sand that a ball is accidentally moved during the search. There’s a rule for that too: as long as it happens during a normal search, no penalty applies. The ball must simply be replaced to its original spot—whether it was under branches or half-buried. The golf rules leave no room for interpretation: those searching must act properly.