Dropping in a hazard?

splashtryagain

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One of my playing partners in a comp hit his tee shot on a par 3 into a hazard - not marked by coloured stakes, and then played a provisional onto the green. The hole is across a valley and he landed short of the boundary fence short of the green - there is a drop zone for such shots next to the fairway for when played of longer tees (9 holes 18 tees, second club for me, used as practice). Having seen his ball in the hazard the other member of our group said he needed to play his first ball ( allowed from hazard) but shot player wanted to use his other ball on the green for 3!
Should partner have played 3 from drop zone or 4 from the green?
Sorry if not well explained but never come across this!
 

Spuddy

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One of my playing partners in a comp hit his tee shot on a par 3 into a hazard - not marked by coloured stakes, and then played a provisional onto the green. The hole is across a valley and he landed short of the boundary fence short of the green - there is a drop zone for such shots next to the fairway for when played of longer tees (9 holes 18 tees, second club for me, used as practice). Having seen his ball in the hazard the other member of our group said he needed to play his first ball ( allowed from hazard) but shot player wanted to use his other ball on the green for 3!
Should partner have played 3 from drop zone or 4 from the green?
Sorry if not well explained but never come across this!

You can't play a provisional for a ball that is known to enter a water hazard so the second ball isn't a provisional (even if he has declared it as such) but rather is the ball in play. The only difference would be that if after playing the original shot there was a chance that it may be lost outside of the hazard (eg in the rough beside it) then a provisional is allowed. As the ball was found in the hazard then the provisional is now no longer in play and he must either play his original or take relief under penalty.
 

Colin L

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One of my playing partners in a comp hit his tee shot on a par 3 into a hazard - not marked by coloured stakes, and then played a provisional onto the green. The hole is across a valley and he landed short of the boundary fence short of the green - there is a drop zone for such shots next to the fairway for when played of longer tees (9 holes 18 tees, second club for me, used as practice). Having seen his ball in the hazard the other member of our group said he needed to play his first ball ( allowed from hazard) but shot player wanted to use his other ball on the green for 3!
Should partner have played 3 from drop zone or 4 from the green?
Sorry if not well explained but never come across this!

In order to know which of the possibilities explained above by Spuddy would apply in this situation, could you confirm that the player knew at the time of playing his tee shot that his ball was in bounds and in the hazard. It sounds from your description that he did, but we need to be sure.
 
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