The relevant search has a defined beginning
Rule 18’s three-minute search period begins when the player or their caddie starts searching. The ball disappearing from the camera, a spectator pointing or the player walking towards the area is not the same timing reference.
Suppose a tee shot vanishes behind trees and the programme spends forty seconds on the player walking down the fairway. Starting the search clock at the lost camera view would count travel time as though searching had already begun.
Edited coverage cannot establish the full period
A replay can compress a long walk or omit part of a search. A timer drawn from programme duration may therefore disagree with the relevant uninterrupted sequence. Watch for an official timer or clear commentary about when the player or caddie began.
Finding a possible ball within the period can also require prompt identification under the rule. Seeing someone point at a white object is not by itself proof that the player’s ball was identified. This explains why officials may discuss both timing and identity. Keep the start event and the identification evidence separate rather than treating any visible object as an automatic end to the search issue. The invented walk example is a timing illustration, not a tournament result.
Questions answered
Does the clock start when the ball leaves the television picture?
No. Player or caddie search is the relevant start.
Can an edited replay prove the complete search duration?
Not reliably without the uninterrupted timing context.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.