North Mimms
Tour Winner
You can't go back to play a provisional - my player was intending to play 3 off the tee.
Hopefully if I've got that wrong, the experts will put me right
Declaring a ball lost
- Thread starter HawkeyeMS
- Start date
Hopefully if I've got that wrong, the experts will put me right
chrisd
Major Champion
I'm not sure that you're mixing up the hitting a provisional ruling with the 50m bit. The new rule (?) is that if you hit a ball off the tee (say) and decide to hit a provisional you can walk back to, maybe, where your bag is to get a new ball if you've dropped your bag near the fairway and walked back to the tee and that walk off the tee area can be about 50m
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
Where does this 50m rule come in? First ive ever heard of it, as far as i was concerned that until you walk back and hit another ball then if your ball is found prior to hitting and it's within the 5 minute time then it becomes the ball in play.
Right or wrong?
Right or wrong?
Foxholer
Blackballed
Yes you can until you put another ball into play. Decision 27/16 refers. So Val is correct. And a reasonable time is allowed to get to and identify the ball too - you don't have to rush to identify it within the 5 mins.
The 50m you refer to may be the 'reasonable distance' referred to in another R27 decision about how far before a decision to play a Provisional is not allowed - Decision 27-2a/1.5
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North Mimms
Tour Winner
The walking forward only refers to provisional.
You can't hit a bad one, go and look for your ball for 2 minutes, run back to hit a Provisional while the others carryig on looking, then dash back when they find it.
pbrown7582
Money List Winner
thanks, that's me confusing things!
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
Thanks, I'm aware you can't go back to hit a provisional once you start looking.
Colin L
Tour Winner
Edit I wrote this post without seeing the various comments made after pbrown's one. Must have missed a page turn! Sorry it is a bit repetitive but I'll leave it in in the hope it is nonetheless helpful.
I think you are getting confused with Decision 27-2a-1.5 which clarifies what is meant by going "forward to search" in terms of when you can play a provisional and actually mentions a distance of 50m. You may only play a provisional ball before you head off to search for the original one but there is some flexibility allowed such as going forward to your bag to get another ball/club. The Decision additionally offers some flexibility to allow, I suppose, for a change of mind or a late realisation that a provisional would be a good idea. Generally anything more than 50 m in those circumstances is considered too far and beyond it you cannot come back.
http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Decision-27/#d27-2a-1.5
None of which has anything to do with going back to play from where you played your previous stroke or with the mistaken belief that declaring a ball lost has any significance in the rules as to what you can do. You can proceed under stroke and distance any time regardless of where your ball in play is and whether you can see it or not. You can just do it!
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The rule people are quoting is, A ball is deemed “lost†if:
a. It is not found or identified as his by the player within five minutes after the player’s side or his or their caddies have begun to search for it;
I see no mention of FC's so maybe they don't count either?
a. It is not found or identified as his by the player within five minutes after the player’s side or his or their caddies have begun to search for it;
I see no mention of FC's so maybe they don't count either?
North Mimms
Tour Winner
that's cos they are looking in the wrong place on purpose!
philly169
Journeyman Pro
We had a chap playing with us in club championships this year, hit his ball wayward right into a tree line filled with all sorts, he played a provisional which was straight down the fairway. As my ball was in the same place as his first I managed to find it, called him over and he identified it as his and then said "I'm going to declare it lost and play the provisional" proceeding to pick it up and walk back over to the provisional...
Foxholer
Blackballed
Well, that should have resulted in a shed load of penalties, the last of which would have been a DQ for signing for the wrong score!
so what would happen here rules chappies? assuming it was within 5 minutes.
duncan mackie
Money List Winner
continuation with the provisional ball after the original has been found within 5 minutes is a breach of rule 15-3 (wrong ball) and the player gets a 2 stroke penalty. He is required to correct his error and proceed correctly under the rules before teeing off on the next hole (or leaving the final putting green) or is disqualified. In this case proceeding correctly would be to continue with his original, found, ball either directly or by proceeding under 27-1 or 28
atticusfinch
Challenge Tour Pro
A riot baton across his forehead and a glass of V8 vegetable juice.
Jungle
Head Pro
Interesting reading, something I fell foul to just recently whilst playing an open at Aberdour.
Hit one into the clag and played a provisional.
Playing partner leapt into the knee high rough and expertly found my ball. It was sitting amongst some knots with lots of overhanging trees, long rough and a little stream to boot. I took a drop and then took a few hacks to get it no further than 100 years from the tee box. It would appear that rather than dropping I could have went back to the tee and played my 3rd stroke?
Hit one into the clag and played a provisional.
Playing partner leapt into the knee high rough and expertly found my ball. It was sitting amongst some knots with lots of overhanging trees, long rough and a little stream to boot. I took a drop and then took a few hacks to get it no further than 100 years from the tee box. It would appear that rather than dropping I could have went back to the tee and played my 3rd stroke?
rulefan
Tour Winner
You could indeed.
anyone know definitively?The rule people are quoting is, A ball is deemed “lost†if:
a. It is not found or identified as his by the player within five minutes after the player’s side or his or their caddies have begun to search for it;
I see no mention of FC's so maybe they don't count either?
Foxholer
Blackballed
The Rules should always be read absolutely literally!
So if there's no mention of FCs, they don't count!
Colin L
Tour Winner
There is no mention either of spectators, referees, marshals, stray dogs, spotters, the guy selling Bovril and hot pies (or is that football?). I put my stopwatch on a search when the player and/or his caddie arrives in the likely area and start looking. That's what the words tell me.
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