Hitting the wrong ball

Question
I saw your response to another question on this, but my question is slightly different.  Was playing match play today (I was one of two players from my team) playing against two from another team.  On the 6th hole, my 2nd shot is just in front of the green.  The guy on the opposing team (who I am not playing against directly) hits his close by.  He had been playing a titleist and I was the only one playing a Nike (with an eagle symbol).  He is away and chips up first.  I notice that the ball I am to hit is a Nike, but the emblem would have been on the side facing down.  So I chip up.  After we all are on the green, he points out that we both have hit the wrong ball.  Apparently, he has switched to a Nike somewhere along the way.  I guess, according to the rules, we both lose the hole to our opponents and we both have to take a 2 shot penalty.  Is that correct?

Thanks,

Coston

Answer
Coston:  I'm a bit confused as to what actually happened and the status of the two players in question.  I did some research on hitting the wrong ball in match play and came up with this from the decisions on the rules of golf.  You can find this here: http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-15/#15-3

"15-3. Wrong Ball
a. Match Play

If a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball,
he loses the hole.

If the wrong ball belongs to another player, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played.

If the player and opponent exchange balls during the play of a hole, the first to make a stroke at a wrong ball
loses the hole;
when this cannot be determined, the hole must be played out with the balls exchanged.

Exception: There is no penalty if a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball that is moving in water in a water hazard. Any strokes made at a wrong ball moving in water in a water hazard do not count in the player's score. The player must correct his mistake by playing the correct ball or by proceeding under the Rules."

I hope this clears up the issue.  Thanks for the question.

Fairways and Greens,

John
www.golfnutts.com