Ask Linda #264-Tossed ball lands in lake

Linda, Decision 15-2/1 reads as follows:

Q. A player, whose ball was on the putting green, marked the
ball's position, lifted it and threw it to his caddie for cleaning. The
caddie failed to catch the ball and it went into a lake and could not be
retrieved. The player holed out with another ball. Should he be
penalized under Rule 15-2?
A. Yes

The question is what if that ball is retrievable? Is it a penalty stroke?
Does the golfer play from the point of nearest relief?

Thank you for your response,
Lou Lou

Dear Lou Lou,

There is no penalty if the original ball is retrieved. The player has marked and lifted his ball on the putting green, and he will place that same ball behind his marker when it is his turn to putt. The fact that the ball has taken an unexpected journey into and out of a lake in between being lifted and replaced has no effect on the player’s score or subsequent procedure. The ball is out of play when it is marked and lifted, and is not back in play until it has been replaced. The player in Decision 15-2/1 was penalized two strokes because he was not permitted to substitute another ball.

Linda
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