rules question

[darby]

Hello
I was playing Pakenham with friends when on the 17th hole (par 4) I hit my 2nd shot deep into the woods...knowing it was a lost cause to even look for it I took my drop and played my 4th shot from where the ball entered the woods and hit it into the hole for a par (yah!) ...then after, one of my friends found my original ball that we assumed had hit a tree and bounced out and forced me to play it which I did but ended up with a double bogie ...what rule should have been applied?

thanks
Jim

[GarthM]

Unless the woods are a hazard (which they should not be), you played from the wrong place and get a 2 stroke penalty. If they are a hazard, then congrats, you made par.

If they are not a hazard, then you should have hit a provisional from where you hit your second shot. Then if you find the first one it is in play and you play out the hole. Otherwise you could have hit from where you hit your second, not declaring a provisional, and then would have scored a 4.

Hope this helps.

[AAA]

27-1 Ball Lost or Out of Bounds

If a ball is lost or is out of bounds, the player must play a ball, under penalty of one stroke, as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5).

[AAA]

Unless the woods are a hazard (which they should not be), you played from the wrong place and get a 2 stroke penalty.
Hope this helps.

Darby
In addition because it was almost certainly a 'serious breach' you are DQd for not correcting it and playing from the right place.