wrong ball and testing the putting surface

I was in a bunker and popped it onto the green 35 feet from the cup. As I was getting ready to putt, my friend told me that my ball was not in the bunker but instead was next to the rake in front of the bunker and I had played the wrong ball (both Xl-3000s). I went ahead and putt anyway and putt it 5-6 feet past the hole. I went back to where my ball was and played it. I chipped to almost exactly where my 35 foot putt was from. I putt this putt 2-3 feet away from the hole.

What is the penalty? Playing the wrong ball AND testing the putting surface? He was saying something about not even being able to play the original ball because I had already taken a stroke past the point of where the switch happened. I have never heard anything like this before but with the rules of golf, you never know! I couldn't imagine a rule in golf saying that you can't finnish the hole with your ball since not doing so is a big nono. Anyone know what he is talking about?

How would this differ if this was match and not stroke?

From the rules:

Quote:

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15-3. Wrong Ball


a. Match Play
If a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball that is not in a hazard, he loses the hole.

There is no penalty if a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball in a hazard. Any strokes made at a wrong ball in a hazard do not count in the player’s score.

If the wrong ball belongs to another player, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played.

If the player and opponent exchange balls during the play of a hole, the first to make a stroke at a wrong ball that is not in a hazard, loses the hole; when this cannot be determined, the hole must be played out with the balls exchanged.

b. Stroke Play
If a competitor makes a stroke or strokes at a wrong ball that is not in a hazard, he incurs a penalty of two strokes.

There is no penalty if a competitor makes a stroke at a wrong ball in a hazard. Any strokes made at a wrong ball in a hazard do not count in the competitor’s score.

The competitor must correct his mistake by playing the correct ball or by proceeding under the Rules. If he fails to correct his mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground, or in the case of the last hole of the round, fails to declare his intention to correct his mistake before leaving the putting green, he is disqualified.

Strokes made by a competitor with a wrong ball do not count in his score.

If the wrong ball belongs to another competitor, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played.

(Lie of ball to be placed or replaced altered — see Rule 20-3b.)

(Spot not determinable — see Rule 20-3c.)

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The problem you have is that you played the wrong ball AFTER your FC identified the correct ball.

Up to that point you were OK since you played the wrong ball out of the hazard. Strokes made at a wrong ball do not count and since the intent was not to test the surface, there is no penalty for that.

So, going by the rules you should count the strokes you made with your own ball and add two as a penalty for putting the wrong ball.

Caveat, I'm not 100% on this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jvincent

From the rules:



The problem you have is that you played the wrong ball AFTER your FC identified the correct ball.

Up to that point you were OK since you played the wrong ball out of the hazard. Strokes made at a wrong ball do not count and since the intent was not to test the surface, there is no penalty for that.

So, going by the rules you should count the strokes you made with your own ball and add two as a penalty for putting the wrong ball.

Caveat, I'm not 100% on this.

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Correct. :thumbsup

Follow up. So, had he mentioned it to me after I putt, there would be no penalty at all? No penalty for testing the green or playing the wrong ball as long as I went back and played the orginal ball?


Does anyone know what this guy was talking about when he said I was not allowed to play my original ball after I made the putt with the wrong ball? I think he may have been confused (provisonal ball rule) with the provisional ball rule.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sillywilly

Follow up. So, had he mentioned it to me after I putt, there would be no penalty at all? No penalty for testing the green or playing the wrong ball as long as I went back and played the orginal ball?

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If you finished the hole with the correct ball then there is no penalty. This is only true because you played the wrong ball from out of the hazard. There is no penalty for testing the green because you did not EXPLICITLY test the green.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sillywilly

Does anyone know what this guy was talking about when he said I was not allowed to play my original ball after I made the putt with the wrong ball? I think he may have been confused (provisonal ball rule) with the provisional ball rule.

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I don't know what he was talking about, but he was definitely confused about something.

[quote=sillywilly;196490]Follow up. So, had he mentioned it to me after I putt, there would be no penalty at all? No penalty for testing the green or playing the wrong ball as long as I went back and played the orginal ball?
quote]

Not quite. There was no penalty for playing the wrong ball out of the bunker.
However you then played it whilst on the green which cost two penaly strokes. The actual stroke does not count. You were not testing the green so no penalty there.
You correctly played your original ball so ended up with two strokes added to your score.

[quote=jvincent;196492]If you finished the hole with the correct ball then there is no penalty. This is only true because you played the wrong ball from out of the hazard.
quote]

I think you missed that he said he 'went ahead and putted anyway'

2sp