OOB rule clarification

[Hovisbap]

Hi Everyone,

I am relatively new to the game (18 months in) and I am playing a mixture of long courses and par 3's just across the border, in Spain, from where I live in France, I play off 27/20.

Today I was playing a par 3 course and my tee shot on a 154m par 3 went left and I lost site of it. When I located it, it was just out of bounds so I asked one of the other players what I should do. I was told that I could go back to the tee and replay the shot with a stroke and distance penalty (didn't really fancy that) or take a drop with a 2 shot penalty (effectively playing 4) which I elected to do. Now I'm home and studying the rule book I can't find any rule covering a drop from OOB, only a 1 stroke penalty for a second tee shot. Is there such a rule?

Regards

Steve

 

[bobmac]

No.
If the ball is out of bounds, you must replay the tee shot as your 3rd shot

 

[duncan mackie]

correct Steve - there is no such rule.

welcome to the forum

 

[Hovisbap]

Thanks guys,

But am I the only one who doesn't always know exactly where my shot ended up (over brow of hill or round dog leg)? How do you decide when to play a provisional?

 

[stevie_r]

If you doubt that your shot stayed in bounds or duff it into an area that you feel you may well not find it then play a provisional.

 

[Hovisbap]

If you doubt that your shot stayed in bounds or duff it into an area that you feel you may well not find it then play a provisional.

OK, fair enough, but let me put it another way - if you think your shot is in bounds but later find is is OOB would you leave your playing companions and walk back to the tee and take a provisional?

 

[CMAC]

OK, fair enough, but let me put it another way - if you think your shot is in bounds but later find is is OOB would you leave your playing companions and walk back to the tee and take a provisional?

yes :thup:

however in a competition only or be DQ'd, in a friendly game you would just drop another ball and carry on if just out for fun.

 

[jimbob.someroo]

yes :thup:

yup, and if it had even a remote chance of being OOB, I'd usually re-tee a provisional just in case. Much quicker to go and pick that second one up if you find the first than it is to walk all the way back to the tee. (and much less embarrassing)

 

[Foxholer]

OK, fair enough, but let me put it another way - if you think your shot is in bounds but later find is is OOB would you leave your playing companions and walk back to the tee and take a provisional?

That would become the ball in play - even if the first ball was later found to be in-bounds.

A Provisional must be played before you leave the tee-ing area.

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=27&subRuleNum=2

 

[chrisd]

Hi and welcome!

Just to add that you do have to announce that you are playing a provisional, and obviously each ball should be marked to be able to identify any ball found as being yours and whether its the first or second ball!

 

[pbrown7582]

Hello and welcome and enjoy the forum knows no internationsl borders.

Hope the guys have clarified you issue sounds as if you were having a friendly knock and took the sensible option it's a long lonely trudge back to the tee in a comp.

 

[Ian_S]

It's kind of a social game 'rule'. In a comp, you have to go back to the tee.

It's good practice to hit a provisional even in a bounce game though - as when you do drop one and take 2 shots what you're essentially saying is "let's assume my 3rd shot ended up here" and chances are it wouldn't have done, so not only are you learning a bad habit, you're making the game harder for yourself.