Ball in tree treated as lost

Q. Last week I hit a shot that everyone saw go into a cypress tree. There was no doubt as to the location of the ball, but it was so high up in the tree I couldn't identify it as mine. My fellow competitors all agreed that my ball was in the tree, but we also all decided that since I could not identify it as my ball it was a lost ball and I had to go back under stroke and distance. Were we correct? -- Linda Cartwright

A. Yes, you were correct. If you had a pair of binoculars and were able to see the ball and identify it as yours, you could have taken an unplayable lie. Since this was not the case you proceeded correctly. This is another good reason you should always put an identifying mark on your ball so you can identify it from all the other balls up in that tree including some of mine.

Q. At Las Vegas Country Club, we have an old well that has been surrounded by oleander bushes to provide a more decorative appearance. We have identified this whole area, bushes included, as an obstruction and made a local rule stating this. We've explained to our members that they may take immovable obstruction relief by finding the nearest point of relief plus one club-length no closer to the hole, without penalty. They are not authorized to take line of sight relief. Last week one of our members hit his ball towards these bushes and everyone agreed that the ball went into the obstruction. They were all virtually certain that the ball was in the obstruction but could not find it. Was his ball lost and did he have to take stroke and distance? -- Mike

A. No, in this case his ball was not lost under Rule 27 and he did not have to take stroke and distance. Rule 24-3b, Ball in Immovable Obstruction Not Found, states the following. If it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in an immovable obstruction, the player may take relief as follows: The spot where the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the obstruction must be determined and for the purpose of applying this rule, the ball is deemed to lie at this spot. The player may substitute another ball, without penalty, and take relief as prescribed in Rule 24-2b (nearest relief no closer to hole plus one club-length).

Q. We had an odd occurrence at the Las Vegas Country Club today and nobody could figure out the penalties. The player was chipping from the rough a few yards short of the green to a flag located in the back. He double hit the ball and then in anger threw his club hitting the ball that had already come to rest, moving it a few feet. He then played the ball from the new spot where it had been moved. We know there would be a penalty for double hitting the ball but what other penalties are involved? -- Larren and Cliff

A. There would be a penalty under Rule 14-4 for double hitting the ball and a penalty under Rule 18-2 for moving a ball at rest when the rules don't allow you to move it. Since he played the ball from its new position instead of replacing it, he incurs another penalty stroke for not following the procedure under Rule 18. That would be three penalty strokes in all.

Sue May is a U.S. Open rules official and a member of the USGA Senior Women's committee. Address your rules questions to suemay@cox.net.