Provisional question

[MashieNiblick]

I have a lot of sympathy for people new to the game trying to get to grips with the Rules. They can be a bit daunting and are rather indigestible, especially if as a new player, you may not be familiar with some of the possible scenarios in practice. It is also very easy to be mislead by well meaning but misinformed playing partners.

A good place to start is the R&A quick guide which I think gets the main points over really well with with some good diagrams.

http://www.randa.org/en/Playing-Golf/Quick-Guide-to-the-Rules.aspx

I agree the quiz is good. Questions change and anyone doing even just the easy setting regularly will soon get a good grasp of the basics.

I also think there is a tendency, because the Rules can seem complex, for people to think that they are full of tricks and things designed to catch you out, when really they aren't. They provide a very logical and well thought out framework in which to play the game fairly in the huge range of circumstances that a game played over natural terrain will throw up.

 

[Waitforme]

What Happen here ......

I hit my tee shot far into the bushes and announce I'm going to play a provisional. I hit a career best down the middle and realise I'm never going to get the original anywhere near that in 3. Can I not bother looking for the original ? Or MUST the original be searched for ?

 

[IanG]

What Happen here ......

I hit my tee shot far into the bushes and announce I'm going to play a provisional. I hit a career best down the middle and realise I'm never going to get the original anywhere near that in 3. Can I not bother looking for the original ? Or MUST the original be searched for ?

You are not obliged to go looking for you original and can go and play the provisional. As soon as you have hit it, it becomes the ball in play and you continue with it.

BUT ( as might happen more likely in matchplay) your playing partner has every right to go looking for your ball (for 5 mins) and if he finds it before you play the provisional ball IT remains the ball in play and you have to play it.

You can't just declare your first ball 'lost', but you don't have to be diligent in looking for it.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

You are not obliged to go looking for you original and can go and play the provisional. As soon as you have hit it, it becomes the ball in play and you continue with it.

BUT ( as might happen more likely in matchplay) your playing partner has every right to go looking for your ball (for 5 mins) and if he finds it before you play the provisional ball IT remains the ball in play and you have to play it.

You can't just declare your first ball 'lost', but you don't have to be diligent in looking for it.

...and if the ball your PP finds turns out to be yours you mustn't pretend that it isn't - even although you could swear blind against all the evidence and hence be able to proceed with your provisional - it would be very bad form.

 

[Colin L]

You are not obliged to go looking for you original and can go and play the provisional. As soon as you have hit it, it becomes the ball in play and you continue with it.....
.

May I refine this a wee bit, Ian? You no doubt know, but it might be as well to make it explicit. The provisional only becomes the ball in play when you have made stroke at it from the distance of or nearer the hole than where your original is likely to be. If you play a provisional further from the hole, it is still a provisional ball and the original remains in play. However, since Waitforme is talking of his provisional being his career best down the middle, the chances are it will indeed be nearer the hole.
Career best :swing:

 

[IanG]

Thanks, I was talking about the scenario described - but your clarification is worthwhile for the avoidance of doubt.

I was conscious when typing that the tightest explanation of the rules is likely to be ... the rule book.

Ian

 

[Waitforme]

...and if the ball your PP finds turns out to be yours you mustn't pretend that it isn't - even although you could swear blind against all the evidence and hence be able to proceed with your provisional - it would be very bad form.

I never even thought of that.

You'd be worth the watching I reckon

 

[louise_a]

i was playing an match against a lady who was captain a couple of years ago, so had been playing for a long time. I hit a shot that was wayward and headed for the rough so I said I was playing a provisional which didn't go as far, so I played that ball again before going to look for my first. My partner then said you have to play that now as you have played it twice.
I told her it was OK as it hadn't passed the first ball and she accepted it but said she had never heard that.

I think clubs should hold rules evening so people at least know the basics.

 

[rulefan]

...and if the ball your PP finds turns out to be yours you mustn't pretend that it isn't - even although you could swear blind against all the evidence and hence be able to proceed with your provisional - it would be very bad form.

Not only bad form but would be a DQ.

 

[IanG]

I think clubs should hold rules evening so people at least know the basics.

Golf rule pub quiz - gotta be a winner - 10p for every wrong answer to be donated to the junior section.

 

[Region3]

I think clubs should hold rules evening so people at least know the basics.

Our place did that a year or two ago. 6 people turned up! It's not like they all know the rules either.

Where's the 'shakes head' smiley?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Not only bad form but would be a DQ.

Why? If I do not accept that the ball found by my PP is mine then surely it is my word against his. Besides my PP may find a ball but not recall what ball I was playing. So I could look at it and say 'nope - not mine' and walk on to play my provisional.

 

[mefromhere]

What would be the correct etiquette on that situation?

For example, all square going down the last. Opponent hits tee shot deep into trees, rough etc. Provisional is down the middle leaving just a PW to the green.

You hit your drive and have 200+ to green but easily findable. What Should you do? And what WOULD you do?
Go off to find his first ball on your own even though he has already decided not to look for it or simply allow him to play his provisional?

 

[Old Skier]

Our place did that a year or two ago. 6 people turned up! It's not like they all know the rules either.

Where's the 'shakes head' smiley?

Devon County has an actual comp with a trophy. Takes some effort to get clubs to enter.

 

[CliveW]

What would be the correct etiquette on that situation?

For example, all square going down the last. Opponent hits tee shot deep into trees, rough etc. Provisional is down the middle leaving just a PW to the green.

You hit your drive and have 200+ to green but easily findable. What Should you do? And what WOULD you do?
Go off to find his first ball on your own even though he has already decided not to look for it or simply allow him to play his provisional?

Your opponent is effectively only a PW from the green in three shots, and you are 200 yds away in one. I would think the odds are in your favour whichever decision you make.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Why? If I do not accept that the ball found by my PP is mine then surely it is my word against his. Besides my PP may find a ball but not recall what ball I was playing. So I could look at it and say 'nope - not mine' and walk on to play my provisional.

I would put all consideration of what might happen IF...temporarily out of my mind and just say to him - "I think it's worth going to have a wee look for your ball - just in case it's sitting there in the open waving and smiling at us" Friendly like - not wanting him to lose a ball and in a way putting match situation considerations on back burner. The original should be foremost in consideration - provisional is just that. And YOU need to be playing YOUR shot to the green with a clear and uncluttered mind. So go look for it. Get that done and dusted and out of your thinking.

 

[rulefan]

Why? If I do not accept that the ball found by my PP is mine then surely it is my word against his. Besides my PP may find a ball but not recall what ball I was playing. So I could look at it and say 'nope - not mine' and walk on to play my provisional.

The question said 'pretended'. However, the game is built on honesty. Denying a ball is yours dishonestly is no better than playing with a footwedge or any other form of cheating.

Don't you as a matter of course mark your ball and exchange information about the identification of your ball with your fellow competitors or opponent?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The question said 'pretended'. However, the game is built on honesty. Denying a ball is yours dishonestly is no better than playing with a footwedge or any other form of cheating.

Don't you as a matter of course mark your ball and exchange information about the identification of your ball with your fellow competitors or opponent?

Yes but that isn't 100% infallible. Earlier this year me and my mate were called through and mate hit what he thought was his ball - even though it was not quite where he thought it was likely to have finished. One of the group calling us through asked why my mate had just hit the wrong ball. Yup - two balls not that far apart were the same make, type, number and even players mark (three red spots if I recall). Very unlikely I know but there you go.

 

[Colin L]

and even players mark (three red spots if I recall). Very unlikely I know but there you go.

I think there may be a clue here. A quid for every pickup I've made of balls with 2 or 3 red spots and i'd be playing Pro vs.

 

[rulefan]

I think there may be a clue here. A quid for every pickup I've made of balls with 2 or 3 red spots and i'd be playing Pro vs.

When my refereeing duty requires me to be a starter and I ask players if they can identify their ball, I reckon 4/5 are ProVs with either 2 or 3 red or black dots.
On my final stint on one course with clear stream (but difficult to access) in front of the 18th, I collected about 20 balls that had been abandoned during the round. All except 3 fitted the description above.
I'm still using them (with my initials added).