Ball in hazard next to another ball

[adam]

I had a situation where my tee shot came to rest in a red staked area but was sitting up nicely with a 90 yard shot to the green so I elected to play it from there.
There was another ball in the hazard about 8 inches from my ball that did not belong to any players in my group.
I played my ball without moving the other ball as I had enough space between the two to get a clean shot off.
I was wondering what would have happened if: the ball was close enough to mine that I would hit it while playing my ball, or if the ball did belong to a member in my group that I was playing a match against.

[justsomeguy]

Decision 24-1/2
Abandoned Ball

Q.A player's ball comes to rest against an abandoned ball. What is the procedure?

A.An abandoned ball is a movable obstruction. The player may remove it under Rule 24-1.

Rule 22-2, which deals specifically with one ball interfering with another, does not apply. It applies only if a ball in play interferes with another ball in play.

Even if the other ball was a ball in play, you could still have it lifted under Rule 22-2.

[BC MIST]

Decision 24-1/2
Abandoned Ball

Q.A player's ball comes to rest against an abandoned ball. What is the procedure?

A.An abandoned ball is a movable obstruction. The player may remove it under Rule 24-1.

Rule 22-2, which deals specifically with one ball interfering with another, does not apply. It applies only if a ball in play interferes with another ball in play.

Even if the other ball was a ball in play, you could still have it lifted under Rule 22-2.

And what would happen if the lie of the lifted ball had been altered in the process of playing the first ball?

[AAA]

I had a situation where my tee shot came to rest in a red staked area but was sitting up nicely with a 90 yard shot to the green so I elected to play it from there.
There was another ball in the hazard about 8 inches from my ball that did not belong to any players in my group.
I played my ball without moving the other ball as I had enough space between the two to get a clean shot off.
I was wondering what would have happened if: the ball was close enough to mine that I would hit it while playing my ball, or if the ball did belong to a member in my group that I was playing a match against.

There would be no problem hitting the other ball if it was simply a stray. You would not have hit a 'Wrong Ball'.

If you were actually playing matchplay then you would have got a 1 stroke penalty for hitting your opponent's ball and the ball must be replaced. If it was strokeplay then there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced.
In both cases if the lie was altered the ball must be placed in the nearest most similar lie.

[Shreen]

Is the abandoned ball rule valid even in a hazard?

[AAA]

Is the abandoned ball rule valid even in a hazard?

Yes. But why would you think it wouldn't be?

[Shreen]

Loose impediments, ie rocks in bunkers, are generally only considered movable obstructions under local rule, correct? If you are beside a rock in a lateral hazard, you would not be entitled to move it (other than for purposes of finding the ball - then the impediments must be replaced), correct? I guess why is a ball in a hazard treated differently than a rock?

[AAA]

Loose impediments, ie rocks in bunkers, are generally only considered movable obstructions under local rule, correct? If you are beside a rock in a lateral hazard, you would not be entitled to move it (other than for purposes of finding the ball - then the impediments must be replaced), correct? I guess why is a ball in a hazard treated differently than a rock?

Rocks/stones and balls are different things.

Anything artificial is an Obstruction. An abandoned ball is a Movable Obstruction (as is a cigarette packet) and may be moved whether in a hazard or not.
A rock is a natural object and is defined as a Loose Impediment (as is a twig say) and may not be moved if it is in a hazard.

However, a Local Rule may be made which deems stones in a bunker (but not a water hazard) to be Movable Obstructions. This is primarily for safety reasons.