Can't identfy your ball

If your ball is plugged or covered in such a way so that you can't identify it,
what are the rules to touching or moving it to check it's yours ?

see rule 12-2:

12-2. Identifying Ball
The responsibility for playing the proper ball rests with the player. Each player should put an identification mark on his ball.
Except in a hazard, if a player has reason to believe a ball is his, he may lift the ball without penalty to identify it.
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 player fails to comply with all or any part of this procedure, or if he lifts his ball for identification in a hazard, 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.
*Penalty for Breach of Rule 12-2:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes.
*If a player incurs the general penalty for a breach of Rule 12-2, there is no additional penalty under this Rule.

__________________
Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

There is no penalty for playing a ball you can't identify, from a hazard.

If you play a ball which turns out not to be yours (remember to check before you play the next stroke), simply try to find yours again. If you can't find it treat it as lost.
If it was a fellow competitor's or opponent's, replace it in as near a lie as the original was in.

I thought that if you cannot identify the ball as yours, it is to be considered lost (the scenario where neither player marks his ball, both hit the same type and number of ball, and cannot determine whose is whose, as both went the same yardage)?

Whoever owns the ball replaces it.

A bit different scenario as what has been described, but yes - if you can not identify your ball, it is considered lost.

But, he is asking if you can move/touch/lift the ball to attempt to identify that it is yours.

Also, you can not touch the ball in a hazzard to try to identify it (i.e. inside the stakes on the edge of a water hazzard with high grass/weeds). You must play the ball and once it is out of the hazzard, then you can identify it.

Thanks for clearing that up, Gord.

I wonder if you can play a provisional from the hazard, in case it's not your ball?

No need, if its not yours you go back and look again

Also from the USGA
"
In a hazard, if a ball is believed to be covered by loose impediments or sand, the player may remove by probing or raking with a club or otherwise, as many loose impediments or as much sand as will enable him to see a part of the ball.If an excess is removed, there is no penalty and the ball must be re-covered so that only a part of the ball is visible. If the ball is moved during the removal, there is no penalty; the ball must be replaced and, if necessary, re-covered. As to removal of loose impediments outside a hazard, see Rule 23"

Thanks Gree.

I'm just always looking for a way to avoid walking BACKWARDS on the golf course.