In a not-too-serious game today, my ball landed in some very lush thick grass (rough). I saw pretty well where it had landed, but when I got there, I realized that the grass was about 8" deep and very thick. I could not see the ball. In looking for the ball, I felt something underfoot. Looking straight down, I could not see a ball. I separated the grass carefully and saw a ball deep down sitting on the "thatch" at the base of the grass. I lifted the ball, identified it as mine and replaced it as close as I could.

Question - If this had been a tournament, I would have had to determine if I had moved the ball. It definitely did not rotate. It likely did move downward when I stepped on it, but considering the rough was very "springy", did it return to it's original position? There was really no way to know.

What would an official ruling be in a case like this where the facts are unclear? Does the player or the field get the benefit of the doubt?