Rules of Golf Review: What to do if your ball is submerged in a penalty area

Last Updated: September, 12 2024

Golf Ball USGA Golf Knowledge Golf Explained Golf Rules

Rules of Golf Review: What to do if your ball is submerged in a penalty area

Friends, let me tell you about the latest golfer anguish I've come across - identifying balls submerged in the drink! We've all been there before - usually after an errant shot into the local pond results in our precious Titleists taking an unplanned swim. But did you know the USGA and R&A have made things even more complicated when Fido takes a dip?

According to my sources, the powers that be have clarified some key points around lifting balls in penalty areas (that's ponds and hazards to you and me). Apparently some Tour pros like Adam Long have been tempted to play questionable soggy spheres without fully IDing them first. Tsk tsk! While I agree the desire to save a stroke in the moment is real, we must keep the integrity of the game, y'all.

PGA National shows no mercy 💦 pic.twitter.com/lEibKZduPZ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 24, 2023

So in summary - if you know you hit in the water hazard, there is no need to identify your ball and you can proceed under penalty stroke. But if there's any doubt, you used to have to mark the spot before lifting a submerged ball to check. NOT ANYMORE!

According to Rule 14.1, there is no marking requirement when taking relief like this. Just lift and ID to avoid mistakenly continuing with the wrong Titleist. Whew, what a relief!

Where things get murky though is if upon inspection, the ball ain't yours. Then you gotta keep fishing I'm afraid. Could be another unfortunate soul lost their ball down there. The group behind is sure to love that.

Moral of the story - keep those drives out of the drink fellows! Ain't no one got time for that waterlogged ball chaos. Stay dry out there and keep the chatter coming - let me know if you have any other rules confusions come up!

Find more Golf Brands you would like:

Emily Park

With a background in digital media and a passion for golf culture, Emily scours the internet and PGA/LPGA tour circuits for the most entertaining, shocking, and bizarre stories about professional golfers. She is skilled at curating viral golf content, from Instagram antics to tournament controversies, and turning them into shareable, humorous articles. Her readers appreciate her ability to find the fun and humor in the world of elite golf.

Get the Golfaq Newsletter

Subscribe to the Golfaq newsletter to stay informed about the latest developments in the world of golf. You'll receive updates on tournament news, new equipment releases, product reviews and coupons, head-to-head comparisons, and buying guides from our team of experienced golf journalists and industry experts.