Drop Zone Provisional

[sawtooth]

Am I right thinking that you can't play a provisional from a drop zone.

We have a pond on the 7th and if the ball goes in there's a DZ for it

PP plays a provisional from DZ because his first may have gone into water on far side of pond and it's a walk back to the DZ.

I think DZ and provisional in this case are mutually exclusive, ball either went in pond beyond reasonable doubt in which case you may play 3rd from DZ ( par 3) or you go back to the tee to play 3rd if ball is lost.

I guess it comes down to interpretation of what's beyond reasonable doubt and if the rough on other side of pond was think enough to lose a ball in or not.

 

[rulefan]

I'm nor clear about the sequence of events.

Where did he hit his first ball from and where did it finish. He then a his provisional (?). Where was that from and where did it finish?
Which ball has been dropped in the DZ and why?

A provisional must always be played from where the original (ie the one it is replacing) was played.

 

[sawtooth]

First ball was from tee, hole length about 170 yds with pond in between green and tee.

After tee shot walk a shirt distance to the DZ then in front of DZ is the pond.

I didn't see his shot land but went over pond.

I guess he could not be sure ball went in pond else he would not have called provisional from the DZ.

 

[Colin L]

Have I got the situation right? The player's tee shot might have landed in the pond/penalty area but he is not sure. On the way to look for his ball he stops off at the DZ and plays another ball thinking it will save time should it turn out that his original ball is lost in the penalty area. He thinks he can do this "provisionally" and so presumably thinks that if he finds his original ball outside the penalty area, he can play it and pick up the "provisional". Is that the gist of it?

 

[sawtooth]

Yes that's pretty much it.

 

[rulefan]

Yes that's pretty much it.

In that case he cannot do that.
First he has to have 95% certainty that the original ball is actually in the penalty area. That would not seem to be the case. If he was 'certain' then he could drop a ball in the DZ with a penalty of one stroke and play it. If he is not certain and cannot find his original within three minutes it is lost and he must go back under S&D.

 

[sawtooth]

In that case he cannot do that.
First he has to have 95% certainty that the original ball is actually in the penalty area. That would not seem to be the case. If he was 'certain' then he could drop a ball in the DZ with a penalty of one stroke and play it. If he is not certain and cannot find his original within three minutes it is lost and he must go back under S&D.

Similarly he could not have immediately played a provisional from tee and then later get to the pond and announce that ball must have gone in the water and then proceed to DZ?

 

[rulie]

Similarly he could not have immediately played a provisional from tee and then later get to the pond and announce that ball must have gone in the water and then proceed to DZ?

He could play a provisional from the tee if his original ball may be lost outside a penalty area or may be out of bounds. In order to use the DZ, it must be known or virtually certain (95% probability - correct 19 times out of 20) that the original ball was in the penalty area. Without that knowledge or virtual certainty that the ball is in the penalty area, he could not use the DZ.

 

[salfordlad]

There is one situation in which a provisional may be played for a ball that may be lost in a PA, it is when MLR B-3 is in place for that hole/PA. In the absence of that MLR, as noted above, it is not an option.

 

[rulefan]

Was it ever confirmed that the ball was in the PA?
If not and given that OP says he did play a ball from the DZ what then?

 

[mikejohnchapman]

There is one situation in which a provisional may be played for a ball that may be lost in a PA, it is when MLR B-3 is in place for that hole/PA. In the absence of that MLR, as noted above, it is not an option.

We have this local rule in place on our 12th hole for the second shot over a large lake. Problem is many members assume it's true for all shots over a penalty area!

 

[salfordlad]

We have this local rule in place on our 12th hole for the second shot over a large lake. Problem is many members assume it's true for all shots over a penalty area!

I hear you. Sometimes it is worth putting up on the LR board more than just the MLR, but adding stuff that is harder to misapply like NOTE: THIS LOCAL RULE ONLY APPLIES ....... or THIS LOCAL RULE DOES NOT APPLY ......