Even the best of golfers' balls sometimes land in the rough, and if this happens to you and a ball is found, you want to be sure it's yours.
Lift it, identify it, and then, if it's playable, carefully put it back where you found it. Anything wrong with that? Not according to the U.S. Golf Association. However, there is a carefully spelled out procedure to follow. If the player is in matchplay or a tournament, he or she must first announce his/her intention to lift the ball to his opponent or competitor, who must be given the opportunity to observe the lifting, identification, and replacement. There are further complications, however, if the ball is found in a hazard, such as one with loose impediments like leaves and twigs or loose sand. It may be necessary to remove some of the debris and push aside the sand before the ball can be identified. As long as this is done with the player's opponent as witness there is no penalty.
