1st ball after taking a provisional ball

[Colin L]

I would say that those percentages would lean greatly towards being negative though, you were simply fortunate, that's all.

No different to people stating there average driving distances or best iron distances into the greens, when 7 out of 10 times most handicap golfers will be short, that's because they only remember or want to remember there best shots with those clubs!

With any clubs! We have to hang on to the memories of the good shots or we wouldn't go back. In psychology, it's called positive reinforcement. Have you ever noticed that towards the end of a particularly bad round you get one or two good ones in? It's all part of a cosmic conspiracy to keep us golfing, to keep us suffering.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Stick the provisional in the hole asap and make it the ball in play. Makes the first academic then whether someone finds it or not

 

[Tashyboy]

A PP on Tuesday in a medal put his tee shot on a par three through the back of the green into knee high grass. It was 180 yd down hill so he plays a provisional which dropped straight into the pond. He said I will play another onto the green then have a look for my original. He dropped a ball and promptly pitched it 50 yd over the pond and in the hole. He said I think I have had seven shots so al look for me original. I told him he had taken five shots to hole the second ( well third ball )
He found his ball smashed it onto the green and two putted for a four. He explained all along what he was doing.

 

[duncan mackie]

A PP on Tuesday in a medal put his tee shot on a par three through the back of the green into knee high grass. It was 180 yd down hill so he plays a provisional which dropped straight into the pond. He said I will play another onto the green then have a look for my original. He dropped a ball and promptly pitched it 50 yd over the pond and in the hole. He said I think I have had seven shots so al look for me original. I told him he had taken five shots to hole the second ( well third ball )
He found his ball smashed it onto the green and two putted for a four. He explained all along what he was doing.

His score will depend on whether he removed his 'third ball' from the hole before, or after, his original ball was found.