Provisional ball from tee

[Titanic]

Are you allowed to go forward after your tee shot to look for the ball, not find it before the 3 minutes is up, then declare you are going back to the tee to play a provisional ball?
I have looked it up on rule 18.3a but it doesn't specifically mention if it is a tee shot.

If so, has this rule changed in recent times?

 

[Colin L]

It's a 2019 change. Previously you were allowed to go back only a limited distance to play a provisional; now you can go back any distance. Bear in mind however, that if you have started your search, the clock doesn't stop while you head back to where you played your last shot in order to play a provisional. If player hits say a 200 yard drive, searches for a minute, walks back to the tee, plays a provisional and walks back towards where his original ball is likely to be, the three minutes will probably be up before he gets back.

 

[rulefan]

Are you allowed to go forward after your tee shot to look for the ball, not find it before the 3 minutes is up, then declare you are going back to the tee to play a provisional ball?
I have looked it up on rule 18.3a but it doesn't specifically mention if it is a tee shot.

If so, has this rule changed in recent times?

Yes.
It doesn't matter which shot you are playing, the rule is the same.
Yes, in 2019. Providing 3 minutes has not elapsed you may play a provisional.

 

[Crow]

It's a 2019 change. Previously you were allowed to go back only a limited distance to play a provisional; now you can go back any distance. Bear in mind however, that if you have started your search, the clock doesn't stop while you head back to where you played your last shot in order to play a provisional. If player hits say a 200 yard drive, searches for a minute, walks back to the tee, plays a provisional and walks back towards where his original ball is likely to be, the three minutes will probably be up before he gets back.

If a playing partner finds it before the three minutes are up, isn't he allowed to (actually, must) walk back to identify the ball, even if this exceeds the three minutes?

 

[Steven Rules]

If a playing partner finds it before the three minutes are up, isn't he allowed to (actually, must) walk back to identify the ball, even if this exceeds the three minutes?

Correct.

Rule 18.2a(1)
When Ball Is Lost. A ball is lost if not found in three minutes after the player or his or her caddie begins to search for it.
If a ball is found in that time but it is uncertain whether it is the player’s ball:
*The player must promptly attempt to identify the ball (see Rule 7.2) and is allowed a reasonable time to do so, even if that happens after the three-minute search time has ended.
*This includes a reasonable time to get to the ball if the player is not where the ball is found.
If the player does not identify his or her ball in that reasonable time, the ball is lost.

 

[Colin L]

If a playing partner finds it before the three minutes are up, isn't he allowed to (actually, must) walk back to identify the ball, even if this exceeds the three minutes?

Yes indeed, as Steven has confirmed.

It's worth being clear that the timing of the search does not stop to allow for identification. The dispensation is to allow the player the time to get to the found ball and identify it even although the 3 minutes may have elapsed before he gets to it. if the ball is his, all is good - his ball is in play. If it turns out not be his and the time has already elapsed, his orginal ball is lost.