Played wrong ball

[dronfield]

Hi
Can someone please advise re correct ruling per an incident i was involved in at a comp last Sat;
I played my tee shot to a par 3, saw the ball hit bank of green and run down severe slope to an area of rough. Assuming ball may be lost i played a provissional which finished 8 feet from the flag.
I got to my first ball, played it out of rough, only to discover i had mis-identified it and therefore played the wrong ball. First tee shot was therefore assumed lost so i 2 putted out the prov ball. Was unsure if this was correct procedure so left hole score blank in order to clarify in pro shop.
I was advised in pro shop that after playing incorrect ball i should have returned to the tee and played again (ie, from where the original shot was played) and that as soon as i had played the incorrect ball, the prov ball was no longer in play. It was confirmed that as that as correct procedure had not been followed it was a NR for hole (and round).
The area i am confused with is, if my original tee shot was declared lost, why can i not complete the hole with the prov ball? This would have resulted in a score of 7 for the hole (inc 2 shot penalty for playing wrong ball).
Thanks
Rich

 

[rulefan]

When you played the wrong ball you incurred the general penalty of two strokes. You must now correct the situation. So you are now where you were before you hit that ball. Your original is still in play until it becomes lost and you have a provisional in reserve. You must now concern yourself with the original ball and the provisional ball. You simply continue as you would if you had not hit the wrong ball but with the 2 stroke penalty above.

 

[rulie]

When you played the provisional ball from a spot nearer the hole, your original ball was no longer in play, ie, the provisional ball became your ball in play when you played it. The two stroke penalty for playing a wrong ball is still in effect, Your score for the hole was 7,
1 - original tee shot
1 ps for stroke and distance
1 - stroke made with provisional from tee
2 ps for playing wrong ball
2 putts

The pro shop answer was incorrect. And, BTW, a ball cannot be "declared" lost. It is only lost if not found within three minutes of searching.

 

[dronfield]

Thanks Rulefan for the clarification. I therefore did follow correct procedure and should have entered a score of 7 for that hole.
Rich

 

[doublebogey7]

When you played the provisional ball from a spot nearer the hole, your original ball was no longer in play, ie, the provisional ball became your ball in play when you played it. The two stroke penalty for playing a wrong ball is still in effect, Your score for the hole was 7,
1 - original tee shot
1 ps for stroke and distance
1 - stroke made with provisional from tee
2 ps for playing wrong ball
2 putts

The pro shop answer was incorrect. And, BTW, a ball cannot be "declared" lost. It is only lost if not found within three minutes of searching.

Or another ball it put into play.

 

[rulefan]

Or another ball it put into play.

It is simply a ball that is not in play. It is not lost as now defined.

 

[doublebogey7]

It is simply a ball that is not in play. It is not lost as now defined.

I stand corrected, another subtle change to the rules that I missed, everydays A school day.

 

[rulefan]

I stand corrected, another subtle change to the rules that I missed, everydays A school day.

Aah. So you were like me
"That boy at the back! Sit up and pay attention!"

 

[rulie]

Aah. So you were like me
"That boy at the back! Sit up and pay attention!"

I sat in the back row on the first day once; the teacher pointed to a desk in the front, right up against his desk and said, "Sit here!" I did.

 

[Colin L]

A friend of mine played a wrong ball recently. He confessed he had missed a few very subtle clues:

it had a different number on it;
it was a different make;
it did not have his identification mark on it; and the subtlest of all
it was white and he was playing a yellow one.

 

[backwoodsman]

A friend of mine played a wrong ball recently. He confessed he had missed a few very subtle clues:

it had a different number on it;
it was a different make;
it did not have his identification mark on it; and the subtlest of all
it was white and he was playing a yellow one.

We've all done that, surely?

 

[Colin L]

We've all done that, surely?

Really? Played a white ball when your own ball is yellow? Even I, with a long catalogue of senior absurdities, haven't managed that one.

 

[rulefan]

We've all done that, surely?

I have never done that. I only play with white ones so that I can never be accused of being that stupid.

 

[Imurg]

Well I directed the note of sarcasm in Backwoodsman's post.....maybe a or a after it would have helped....

ps..please tell me there was a note of sarcasm

 

[backwoodsman]

Sorry to admit I have indeed hit a yellow ball instead of a white one. I had been "alternating" between yellow & white as provisional balls necessitated, & I simply failed to remember that I hadn't started the hole with a yellow ball.

I refuse to believe you lot haven't done the same

 

[Colin L]

So my friend isn't unique. Just one of a pair of eejits.

 

[Imurg]

Sorry to admit I have indeed hit a yellow ball instead of a white one. I had been "alternating" between yellow & white as provisional balls necessitated, & I simply failed to remember that I hadn't started the hole with a yellow ball.

I refuse to believe you lot haven't done the same

As far as I can remember I've never hit a wrong ball, coloured differently or otherwise......
I think that qualifies you to be called a Plank

 

[backwoodsman]

As far as I can remember I've never hit a wrong ball, coloured differently or otherwise......
I think that qualifies you to be called a Plank

Your not the first to call me that.

And I doubt the last ...