5 Minutes to look for Ball?

5 minutes to look for Ball

Question: - I played my 1^st ball in the woods to the right of the 12^th hole.  I then played a provisional ball which entered the bushes on the left. I could not find my first ball within 5 minutes. Do I have a further 5 minutes to look for my 2^nd ball?

Answer:  Yes.

But if the two balls are so close together, in effect, both balls would be searched for simultaneously. A total of 5 minutes is allowed for the search.

However as your lost balls were not close together you are allowed 5 minutes to search for each ball.

(Decisions of the Rules of Golf 27/4)

Under Golf Etiquette, players searching for a ball should signal the players in the group behind to play through as soon as it becomes apparent that the ball will not easily be found.