Provisional for suspected lost ball, then ball found but unplayable

[sjw]

Few threads around similar scenarios but there seem to be a lot of nuances to the "provisional" subject, so here goes

I hit a ball into some horrible ferns and nettles etc. I thought "that's probably lost", so I hit a provisional, which ended up on the front edge of the green.

I then went looking for my original ball, thinking it might be playable, and to my surprise, I found it, but there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to play it. I would've had to drop 4 or 5 times to get out of the bushes!

Bearing in mind that for an unplayable ball there is an option to take stroke and distance relief, can I then decide to play my provisional as my ball in play? I was playing alone and that's what I did anyway, but I was curious for the future.

 

[bobmac]

If you find your original ball, you can not play your provisional.
Unless the rules have changed

 

[sjw]

Bearing in mind that the concept of a provisional ball is supposed to be to speed up play, that seems to me to be incredibly daft. So I play a shot, not sure if it's lost, play a provisional, find the original, decide it's unplayable, then have to go back to the same spot again anyway? That's daft as all hell. So i've now played three shots from the same location! Would've been quicker to not play a provisional!

 

[bobmac]

Would've been quicker to not play a provisional!

But then what happens if you don't find your first ball?

 

[Steven Rules]

You were entitled to play a provisional ball (it speeds up play as you rightly point out) but18.3c(3) says that when a provisional ball has not yet become the ball in play, it must be abandoned when the original ball is found on the course before the end of the three minute search time.

 

[sjw]

But then what happens if you don't find your first ball?

Well obviously it saves time then, but that's not strictly relevant here because I did find the ball.

Reading some other threads, it appears that the scenario I found myself in basically becomes a bit of a gamble that I have to decide if I want to take: I can declare that I'm putting a new ball in play, and risk the original being in a good spot (but no longer in play) or I can declare the second ball as a provisional, but risk the original ball being found and in a terrible spot. Correct?

Seeing as I'm playing on my own and with no opponent who might have an incentive to find my horribly-placed first ball, it seems to me that I'm in a bit of a unique (to solo play) situation here in that I can declare my second shot a provisional, see where that ends up, and then decide if I want to look for the first one or not. Also correct?

You were entitled to play a provisional ball (it speeds up play as you rightly point out) but18.3c(3) says that when a provisional ball has not yet become the ball in play, it must be abandoned when the original ball is found on the course before the end of the three minute search time.

Fair enough that those are the rules. I do think that common sense should prevail here, but I understand that people will argue that it might change the effort you put into looking for a ball or something similar. Just seems to me that I've already played a ball that could be quite easily considered as the "stroke and distance relief" ball in a time where pace of play is becoming more and more of a discussed topic. I've not been in a position yet where I've had a group in front of me go back to where their previous shot was played from, but I know I'd find it annoying - especially if I've just played my shot as I've considered them to be out of range and suddenly I'm right up their jacksy.

 

[Wabinez]

Bearing in mind that the concept of a provisional ball is supposed to be to speed up play, that seems to me to be incredibly daft. So I play a shot, not sure if it's lost, play a provisional, find the original, decide it's unplayable, then have to go back to the same spot again anyway? That's daft as all hell. So i've now played three shots from the same location! Would've been quicker to not play a provisional!

YOu have 3 options available upon finding your original ball:
Back to the place you took the original stroke
2 club lengths no nearer the hole
back on line, keeping ball at rest in line with the flag. Go back as far as you want.

You don't HAVE to go back to the tee.

 

[sjw]

YOu have 3 options available upon finding your original ball:
Back to the place you took the original stroke
2 club lengths no nearer the hole
back on line, keeping ball at rest in line with the flag. Go back as far as you want.

You don't HAVE to go back to the tee.

I don't have to, no, but about 6 club lengths was still in the bushes and back on the line was still in the bushes up against a fence!

 

[Wabinez]

I don't have to, no, but about 6 club lengths was still in the bushes and back on the line was still in the bushes up against a fence!

Back to the tee you go though.

I mean, you were also playing on your own, so who cares. You aren't submitting a handicap card or playing on the comp. You can do whatever you want.

 

[Neilds]

I agree it is a bit stupid to not be able use the provisional when it would save time but that is the rule and should be adhered to.
And we all know that nothing goes straighter than a provisional so your next shot will be in a worse position than the provisional ended up in

 

[sjw]

Back to the tee you go though.

I mean, you were also playing on your own, so who cares. You aren't submitting a handicap card or playing on the comp. You can do whatever you want.

No that's very true but I am trying to keep accurate scores to track my progress

 

[CliveW]

If after hitting a provisional to the edge of the green and your original was in the situation you describe, I would have a cursory glance to find the original and if it wasn't obvious I would declare the original ball lost and proceed with the provisional.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

If after hitting a provisional to the edge of the green and your original was in the situation you describe, I would have a cursory glance to find the original and if it wasn't obvious I would declare the original ball lost and proceed with the provisional.

You can;t decarae a ball lost, you *can* stop looking

 

[rosecott]

If after hitting a provisional to the edge of the green and your original was in the situation you describe, I would have a cursory glance to find the original and if it wasn't obvious I would declare the original ball lost and proceed with the provisional.

As BB says, you cannot "declare" a ball lost but you can take an action which renders it lost i.e. playing the provisional which is beyond where the original ball might be. And, if the cursory glance falls on any ball, you are obliged to identify if it is your ball or not.

 

[nickjdavis]

The reason why you are not allowed to do what, on the face of it, seems to be eminently sensible, is that a golfer should never have a choice of which of two balls to proceed with.

With the rule as it is...once you find your original you have to abandon the provisional and if you decide that there is no way you can play your original ball or obtain suitable relief (2 club lengths or back on line) then back to the tee is the only option. There is now a great deal more pressure on your (3rd off the) tee shot than there ever was on the provisional shot that you played.

 

[sjw]

The reasons why you are not allowed to do what, on the face of it, seems to be eminently sensible, is that a golfer should never have a choice of which of two balls to proceed with.

That sums it up perfectly and succinctly, thank you.

 

[jim8flog]

Sounds like the two balls would have been reasonably close to each other.

If you could not see the first ball I.e just a cursory look over at the spot it was likely to be the simplest advice would have been walk forward to the provisional , play a shot with it then go back to find the first ball.

 

[rulie]

See the attached article regarding a similar situation that happened on the PGATour. Note that all the Rules references and the time for search is from the pre 2019 Rules, but the ruling has not changed.

USGA Responds to Ruling in Mickelson-Lickliter Playoff

2/13/01 -- The USGA released its opinion on the

www.golfchannel.com

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If after hitting a provisional to the edge of the green and your original was in the situation you describe, I would have a cursory glance to find the original and if it wasn't obvious I would declare the original ball lost and proceed with the provisional.

Correct thinking. If my provisional is on the edge of the green and I don't immediately see my ball in an eminently playable position, I ask myself the question - if I find my ball what chance me getting to where my provisional is sitting in two shots - especially given risk that one of the two may find me taking a drop if my ball is unplayable. Most of the time I will conclude the answer to that question is very low, and so I will walk on without a further glance, and I'd ask any player with me to not look.

 

[Orikoru]

Reading some other threads, it appears that the scenario I found myself in basically becomes a bit of a gamble that I have to decide if I want to take: I can declare that I'm putting a new ball in play, and risk the original being in a good spot (but no longer in play) or I can declare the second ball as a provisional, but risk the original ball being found and in a terrible spot. Correct?

This, pretty much. If your provisional is in a good place and it's very likely that your first ball isn't - don't even bother looking for it, just go straight to your provisional. Or, as jim8flog said, go to the provisional, hit it again which confirms it's the ball in play, then go and have a look for your first ball if you simply don't want to lose a ball.