Confused with ruling

[Smiffy]

Yes I'm with you, but If I was playing with you or anyone else for that matter, and you/they declare and play a prov I would go look for your first ball, even more if I knew you had no intention of doing so.

Even more so if there was 10p on the match

 

[bobmac]

Just wondered.......
Fyldewhite smashes his brand new Prov 1 into the jungle, then hits a prov prov1 down the middle. When FW gets to where he thinks his prov1 is, decides to not even look for it and rushes another 20 yards down the fairway to where his prov prov1 is and hits it.
Now, if after FW hits his prov prov1, Tommy then finds the original prov1, can Tommy keep it as it's the original prov1 and not the prov1 that's the prov prov1

 

[Fyldewhite]

Yes I'm with you, but If I was playing with you or anyone else for that matter, and you/they declare and play a prov I would go look for your first ball, even more if I knew you had no intention of doing so.

Agree to agree then

I think generally players walk over to the clag and have a cursory glance before deciding that it's not worth finding it (or worth the delay) so then wander off to play the provisional they've spanked down the middle. At that point most players just accept it and stop looking too but some will (and are quite entitled to) keep looking until you hit your prov from its perfect lie into some more crap further on.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Just wondered.......
Fyldewhite smashes his brand new Prov 1 into the jungle, then hits a prov prov1 down the middle. When FW gets to where he thinks his prov1 is, decides to not even look for it and rushes another 20 yards down the fairway to where his prov prov1 is and hits it.
Now, if after FW hits his prov prov1, Tommy then finds the original prov1, can Tommy keep it as it's the original prov1 and not the prov1 that's the prov prov1

LOL - Very good

Answer. No chance. It's still MINE !!

 

[bobmac]

Just wondered.......
Fyldewhite smashes his brand new Prov 1 into the jungle, then hits a prov prov1 down the middle. When FW gets to where he thinks his prov1 is, decides to not even look for it and rushes another 20 yards down the fairway to where his prov prov1 is and hits it.
Now, if after FW hits his prov prov1, Tommy then finds the original prov1, can Tommy keep it as it's the original prov1 and not the prov1 that's the prov prov1

LOL - Very good

Answer. No chance. It's still MINE !!

You'd have more chance winning a beauty contest for the under 12s than wrestling a brand new Prov1 out of Tommos trousers

 

[Ethan]

if you think it lost and don't want to find it, play a new ball (under penalty) without declaring it a provisional and the new ball is the ball in play.

I know you can do this off the tee (cos the R&A bloke said so) just not sure if it also applies half way down the track.

Lets get this clear…..you cannot announce, after hitting a ball that may be lost say in the rough, hit a provisional to then walk off the tee and claim the first one lost.

If you play a prov the first ball is the ball in play until you cant find it………in other words you look for it.

If you fail to properly declare a provisional ball, and hit another off the tee, it is NOT a provisional but the ball in play.

So something like 'Damn looks like 3 off the tee' or 'Reload!' is NOT a proper declaration of a provisional, but is 3 off the tee and it matters not where the first one is, because it is no longer in play.

In that example, you have de facto declared the first one lost and that is that.

 

[chrisd]

Generally, the guys that I play with would say "i'le play a provisional" and declare the type and number of the ball just in case it goes to a similar area to the first ball, so there is no confusion which Pro v is the first and second ball.

 

[evahakool]

Since you can't actually "declare a ball lost"

Exactly. One of the biggest myths of the rules.

If you hit it into the clag you can then immediately take a stroke and distance penalty and play 3 off the tee in which case the original is then lost not by declaration but by your actions OR you can say it is a provisional and the original remains the ball in play until 5 mins are up or you play from further on etc.

If you hit a good shot with your provisional you can't just suddenly decide to say the first one is now lost. OK you may not look for it but if it is found by someone (opponent or perhaps a fellow player looking for their ball in same area) then you must identify it and discard the provisional.

Didnt know you cant just declare a ball lost

Now know if i think ive a lost ball not to say "going to play a provisional" but say going to play three of the tee.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[JustOne]

Now know if i think ive a lost ball not to say "going to play a provisional" but say going to play three of the tee.

Thanks for all the replies.

I wouldn't... Always declare your second ball as a provisional, that way if you duff your provisonal too it might still be worthwhile going to look for your first ball.. it could amazingly have landed on a piece of bare ground. If you then DO find it in the crappy stuff you declare it unplayable and go back to the tee AGAIN and hit 3 off the tee.

If you happen to actually hit a decent provisional then you can still go look for your first ball.... with your eyes closed if necessary I nomally look in all the areas I WANT it to be... because I don't want to find it if it's in the thick stuff.

nb: Remember to call through all the groups you're holding up

 

[Tommo21]

Now know if i think ive a lost ball not to say "going to play a provisional" but say going to play three of the tee.

Thanks for all the replies.

I wouldn't... Always declare your second ball as a provisional, that way if you duff your provisonal too it might still be worthwhile going to look for your first ball.. it could amazingly have landed on a piece of bare ground. If you then DO find it in the crappy stuff you declare it unplayable and go back to the tee AGAIN and hit 3 off the tee.

If you happen to actually hit a decent provisional then you can still go look for your first ball.... with your eyes closed if necessary I nomally look in all the areas I WANT it to be... because I don't want to find it if it's in the thick stuff.

nb: Remember to call through all the groups you're holding up

Look with your eyes shut..........Eh.

 

[Tommo21]

Generally, the guys that I play with would say "i'le play a provisional" and declare the type and number of the ball just in case it goes to a similar area to the first ball, so there is no confusion which Pro v is the first and second ball.

That goes without saying, but you said it.

 

[JustOne]

Look with your eyes shut..........Eh.

There's no ruling to say just how hard you're supposed to look. If you don't want to find your first ball simply look 50yds from where it landed... that's what Smiffy does, we always have to walk 50-100yds further back to find his 'long drive'

 

[Leftie]

I just LOVE these rules questions

They do however highlight many of the common misconceptions that a lot of golfers have and the healthy debate does, I believe, help people on here to get an understanding of what the rules are really about. They also highlight that all golfers should get a rule book and occasionally thumb through it - particularly if something occurred on the course that day that they weren't sure about, ruling wise.

 

[Kellfire]

Threads like this are definitely inspiring me to get a copy of the rules for the bag.

 

[Twire]

Threads like this are definitely inspiring me to get a copy of the rules for the bag.

Get onto the R&A website there free, you only have to pay postage. I had a couple of rules books delivered last week, plus a couple of quick guides.

 

[Kellfire]

Thanks for that. Sadly the R&A website isn't working for my cards. It had me scared I had no money in but thankfully I checked and I do. Weird.

 

[19th]

I just LOVE these rules questions

They do however highlight many of the common misconceptions that a lot of golfers have and the healthy debate does, I believe, help people on here to get an understanding of what the rules are really about. They also highlight that all golfers should get a rule book and occasionally thumb through it - particularly if something occurred on the course that day that they weren't sure about, ruling wise.

Leftie, I do agree with your comments but very often this sort of discussion allows the rules to be more readily understood as the written word may not activate 'what ifs'!

This super forum definately covers every 'what if'!!

 

[bobmac]

This super forum definately covers every 'what if'!!

We normally get there eventually.

There's one thing I was taught about the rules is NEVER give a decision unless you're absolutely sure you're right.
If you're not sure, it's always best to say upfront, then find out.
As you've probably read on here, lots of people have been given advice from others at their club which has been wrong.
That's why it's so important to try and learn all the rules you can and certainly carry a rule book in your bag.