I hit a high driver directly over the trees rather than follow the designed as a dogleg left, my playing partner (father) said after I hit the ball it's hit something as we heard a noise, but because there were trees in the way couldn't see anything when we got up there we were searching for ball all around the general area, the fence, trees, rough for 3 minutes and couldn't find the ball. I told my dad to play on and don't worry about my ball I'd just take a ringer (0 pointer) and I headed to next tee angry since I lost my ball, as he finished off his hole he yell out too me "check this out" and pulled the flag out to which ball appeared. I told him the ball I was playing with on the hole which he confirmed it was and passed it too me, I was more gutted at this stage as I thought since I had declared ball lost that it wouldn't have counted so I rang the golf pro at and explained the situation and told me that it didn't matter that I declared the ball as it was in the hole, rule 18.1 says it counted.