Search Time for Lost Ball: 3 Minutes or 5?

The 5-Minute Myth

Many veteran players still believe they have 5 minutes to find their ball. This changed in 2019.

To improve Pace of Play, Rule 18.2 reduced the allowed search time to exactly 3 minutes.

When Does the Clock Start?

The timer starts the moment you (or your caddie) arrive at the area where the ball is likely to be and begin searching (moving grass, looking).

If you exceed 3 minutes, the ball is lost, even if you find it 10 seconds later. You must return to the previous spot and play under penalty of Stroke and Distance (1 penalty stroke).

How Lazar Helps

Lazar can't physically unearth your ball (yet!), but it helps with the decision:

1. Deciding if it's worth walking back to the tee.
2. Clarifying if an area is a "Penalty Area" vs "Out of Bounds" to see if you can drop instead of re-teeing.

Pro Tip: Always play a Provisional Ball if you think your original might be hard to find outside a penalty area. It saves massive amounts of time and saves you the "walk of shame" back to the tee.