Ball in water hazard - And markings exactly like yours

I had a ball that went into a green-side water hazard (the dry part anyway). It was sitting up nicely but next to a rock and from above, it was the same Nike ball, same number. So I checked with my kakis that it is ok to hit it provided I don't ground the club. Hit a good shot but dented my wedge slightly against the rock but still saw the ball land a few metres from the flag.
While cleaning the ball, I was shocked to see that it was a different Nike model and I threw it away and asked my kakis what I should do?

Majority said I had to forfeit the hole and put triple bogey for my score (the maximum worst score in our stableford format).
I argued that I had identified the ball while it was sitting up and it was the same Nike ball and same number. Do i have to pick the ball up and check it completely for a completer identification? Am I actually allowed to do that while the ball is in a water hazard?

Appreciate comments from those who are familiar with the rules for such a scenario.

Do i have to pick the ball up and check it completely for a completer identification? Am I actually allowed to do that while the ball is in a water hazard?


• c. Searching for Ball in Water in Water Hazard
If a ball is believed to be lying in water in a water hazard, the player may, without penalty, probe for it with a club or otherwise. If the ball in water is accidentally moved while probing, there is no penalty; the ball must be replaced, unless the player elects to proceed under Rule 26-1. If the moved ball was not lying in water or the ball was accidentally moved by the player other than while probing, Rule 18-2a applies.

Rule 12-2. Lifting Ball for Identification
The responsibility for playing the proper ball rests with the player. Each player should put an identification mark on his ball.

If a player believes that a ball at rest might be his, but he cannot identify it, the player may lift the ball for identification, without penalty. The right to lift a ball for identification is in addition to the actions permitted under Rule 12-1.

Before lifting the ball, the player must announce his intention to his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play and mark the position of the ball. He may then lift the ball and identify it, provided that he gives his opponent, marker or fellow-competitor an opportunity to observe the lifting and replacement. The ball must not be cleaned beyond the extent necessary for identification when lifted under Rule 12-2.

If the ball is the player’s ball and he fails to comply with all or any part of this procedure, or he lifts his ball in order to identify it without having good reason to do so, he incurs a penalty of one stroke. If the lifted ball is the player’s ball, he must replace it. If he fails to do so, he incurs the general penalty for a breach of Rule 12-2, but there is no additional penalty under this Rule.


Ref: http://golf.about.com/cs/rulesofgolf/a/rule12.htm

from above seems u can move ball while checking it without penalty

You must identify your ball, it used to be that in a hazard you could hit the wrong ball without penalty, but the rule has changed.

So in this case you actually identified the ball as yours and played it, so you should have gone back to hazard dropped another ball under normal water hazard penalty, finished the hole then added 2 stroke penalty for playing wrong ball.

Even if your ball is buried in a bunker, you must identify it as yours. This means lifting and cleaning enough to identify it, then you must replace it how it was... buried....

OK Thanks. Understand now.

it's good practice to mark your ball to prevent confusion between yourself and golfers on adjacent holes using balls of the same brand, same model and same number.

i mark mine with a line round the equator (extending on whatever alignment aid already printed on the ball) with initials on the top and bottom. makes identifying my ball real easy, hardly have to pick it up to check if it's mine

this is good read!