Identifying Your Ball in a Bunker: A Golf Rules Explanation

Question
Hello,
Player A hooks his tee shot into rough among the trees.
Player B "appears" to hit his tee shot into the green side bunker on the left, close to the trees. Player C hits the green, waiting the others to play.

While Player A looks for his ball, B asks C if he can check the ball in the bunker to identify indeed it is his ball, probably thinking that A's ball might have hit a tree and ricocheted into the bunker, and thinking his ball didn't go into the bunker. Checking it involves lifting the ball. This means replacing it in the bunker, meaning bettering the lie.

C is "almost" certain that the ball in the bunker is B's, but not 100% sure, and not prepared to take a risk of being accused of making B play the wrong ball. So C lets B to check the ball.

What would you have done if you were C?

Thank you

Answer
Joe,

I would have let player B hit the ball out of the bunker. If the ball was not player B's, there would not be a penalty and the ball would have to be replaced.

You cannot touch the ball in the bunker, even to identify it.


Hope this helps.

Michael