Marked ball & went in the water

[Golfy Kid]

I was watching a video of Outside the Ropes with Ian Poulter.

His most embarrassing moment was at Players Championship when he accidently threw his ball in the lake.

Any penalty ?

I watched the video many times and I can't see if there was a ball mark before he threw his ball.

[gbower]

As someone went into the water and got the ball from him there would have been no penalty. If he hadn't got the ball back it would have been a two stroke penalty.

[Golfy Kid]

As someone went into the water and got the ball from him there would have been no penalty. If he hadn't got the ball back it would have been a two stroke penalty.

Wow! What a fan!

When you say if he hadn't got the ball back it would have been a 2 stroke penalty.
Can the ball be picked up by anyone or only someone in the crowd as seen on the video without getting any penalty?
Thanks!

[jvincent]

I'd have to search for the specific rules, but here's what's in play.

1. You must finish the hole with the ball you start with unless it is taken out of play for damage or replaced as allowed by the rules. In Poulter's situation he was not replacing a ball for a legitimate reason which is why there would be a penalty. I am pretty sure there is a decision that covers this.

2. In the case where an outside agency, i.e. a fan or an animal, takes your ball and runs away with it then you are allowed under the rules to replace it without penalty. The only condition is that you have to be sure that it was taken by the outside agency.

[mpare]

My understanding is that if your ball goes missing and there is evidence that someone else or something else (a dog, for example) swipped it, then you may drop a ball without penalty nearest the point from which it was taken. On the other hand, if you indadvertently dropped your ball into the water hole after marking its location on the green, then you or anyone else can recover that ball for you, again without penalty, so as to allow you to finish play on that hole with the ball with which you teed off. I would assume that you could take the time to retrieve it so long as you did not unduly slow up play.

Wow! What a fan!

When you say if he hadn't got the ball back it would have been a 2 stroke penalty.
Can the ball be picked up by anyone or only someone in the crowd as seen on the video without getting any penalty?
Thanks!

[LobWedge]

I'd have to search for the specific rules, but here's what's in play.

1. You must finish the hole with the ball you start with unless it is taken out of play for damage or replaced as allowed by the rules. In Poulter's situation he was not replacing a ball for a legitimate reason which is why there would be a penalty. I am pretty sure there is a decision that covers this.

Rule 15-1. General

A player must hole out with the ball played from the teeing ground unless the ball is lost or out of bounds or the player substitutes another ball, whether or not substitution is permitted (see 15-2). If a player plays a wrong ball, see Rule 15-3.

2. In the case where an outside agency, i.e. a fan or an animal, takes your ball and runs away with it then you are allowed under the rules to replace it without penalty. The only condition is that you have to be sure that it was taken by the outside agency.

18-1. Ball At Rest Moved, By Outside Agency

If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced.

Note: It is a question of fact whether a ball has been moved by an outside agency. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that an outside agency has moved the ball. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must play the ball as it lies or, if the ball is not found, proceed under Rule 27-1.

Note 1: If a ball to be replaced under this Rule is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted.
Note 2: If the original lie of a ball to be placed or replaced has been altered, see Rule 20-3b.
Note 3: If it is impossible to determine the spot on which a ball is to be placed, see Rule 20-3c.

[AAA]

See Decision 18-2a/13.5 and especially 15-2/1