2006 #11 Ball Lost in an Immovable Obstruction

The Scene:
You are playing hole #17, just before the Bay Hill Invitational. You hit a fantastic high drive but it draws, and drops down left of the green. Bang, crack, it hits the grandstand and rattles around underneath. When you arrive at the hole, you walk under the stand and search for your ball. But you can’t find it.

What would you do?
A. Realize that your ball is lost, take a penalty of stroke and distance, go back to the tee and hit again?
B. Determine where your ball entered the grandstand? Take free relief from that spot? Find your nearest point of relief and drop a ball within one club length of that point, no closer to the hole?

B is correct.
The grandstand is an immoveable obstruction and your ball is lost in it.
Open your Rules of Golf book to Rule 24, Obstructions.

24-3. Ball in Obstruction Not Found
(new 2008) It is a question of fact whether a ball that has not been found after having been struck toward an obstruction is in the obstruction. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the obstruction. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.

 24-3b. Ball in Immovable Obstruction Not Found
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 under this Rule. If he elects to do so, 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 and the player must proceed as follows:

(i)Through the Green: If the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the immovable obstruction at a spot through the green, the player may substitute another ball, without penalty, and take relief as prescribed in Rule 24-2b(i).

24-2. Immovable Obstruction
 b. Relief
(i)Through the Green:If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

So, as in B above, determine where your ball entered the grandstand. Take free relief from that spot. Find your nearest point of relief and drop a ball within one club length of that point, no closer to the hole.

REMEMBER: Prior to the Bay Hill Invitational many new structures are built on the course. If you know your ball went into one of them and stayed there, but you can’t find it, your ball is lost in an immoveable obstruction, and you get free relief! Take advantage of the Rules. They can help you.