Playing your 2nd from a provisional then playing the 1st ball?

[Italian outcast]

Played in the 9-hole shotgun start yesterday evening here in Italy

At our first hole - a par 4 dogleg to the left uphill with OOB and trees on the left

• One of my PPs hit one that was long but left-ish so he then hit a not so good provisional - shortish but up the middle
• Walking up he then played his second from the provisional (i.e., his 4th) even though another PP is further up on the left looking for the / lost ball)
• The original (1st ball was found) - which he then played - so that he then had 2 balls on the green - He finished out with the 1st ball in play
• No-one said anything - I was playing with the PP, his wife and their friend
• I thought it odd and probably wrong (but didn't say anything)

He did something similar on the 8th

• He got 20 points and a cut

Its not that he doesn't know the rules - in a previous comp he challenged me that I was playing from more than 2 club-lengths behind the tee-marker (I wasn't but was close)

Does this happen in competitions sometimes?

 

[duncan mackie]

Sounds like he followed the rules and best practice perfectly.

What do you think was wrong?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

As long as his provisional hasnt gone further than the first, he can play it before then playing the first if he finds it

 

[chrisd]

Nope, couldn't see anything wrong

 

[robinthehood]

How long did he look for the first one 😉

 

[rulie]

Three minutes and ten seconds? 😀

 

[Italian outcast]

I wasn't sure if he should have walked up to the 1st first of all - that was what I thought odd (esp as the advance guy said he thought he could see it)

 

[duncan mackie]

I wasn't sure if he should have walked up to the 1st first of all - that was what I thought odd

OK understand; but no. The rule is worded to reflect best practice which is to play balls as you proceed up the hole rather than walking forwards and backwards (even if you find the first most players want to walk back to pick up the provisional!)

 

[Italian outcast]

Thanks for that
We love the provisionals here - guy was playing a 4th of the tee the other day
1st query lost in trees to the left, 2nd defo OOB (to the right), 3rd query OOB (to the left), then a corker up the middle

 

[chrisd]

Thanks for that
We love the provisionals here - guy was playing a 4th of the tee the other day
1st query lost in trees to the left, 2nd defo OOB (to the right), 3rd query OOB (to the left), then a corker up the middle

Just our of interest, do you play the 2 shot penalty drop back on the fairway for a lost ball, in Italy?

 

[Italian outcast]

Just our of interest, do you play the 2 shot penalty drop back on the fairway for a lost ball, in Italy?

Nope - hence the provvisorio
We have quite a lot of OOBs (some internal and over a hill) and trees and some water so its often a bit of marching with hope

 

[mikejohnchapman]

I wasn't sure if he should have walked up to the 1st first of all - that was what I thought odd (esp as the advance guy said he thought he could see it)

Only a problem if he refused to identify the ball spotted by his PP. Otherwise all good.

 

[williamalex1]

Top tip, never say you're going to hit a provisional when you're in Ireland

 

[Italian outcast]

Only a problem if he refused to identify the ball spotted by his PP. Otherwise all good.

He just said i'll play this first - seems to me like a good way to get your practice in