Provisional ruling

[Gregolf]

Playing a great round yesterday, I was 4 over after 10 holes and came to the easiest hole on the course, short par 3.

For whatever reason I completely skulled my gap wedge low and long, flew miles past the green into a huge ditch, hidden behind it and much lower down (elevated green).

I played a provisional ball and almost got a hole in 1, the ball landing 1 inch from the cup. I state I'm not going to bother looking for my first and will take the bogey but my partner insists that I have to look for it and glances over the edge of the green where he spots it immediately in a horrific lie.

Could I have taken my bogey or was I forced to play the other? I'm fairly certain I don't need to look for a ball, but this situation seems a bit grey to me.

 

[GB72]

Once the original ball is found, it becomes the one in play and you cannot continue with the provisional. You cannot declare it lost.

 

[Ethan]

Once your original one was found, you have missed the chance.

You don't need to look for a ball, but you can't declare the it out of play or insist that nobody looks for it either.

If you had managed to play the provisional from a point closer to the hole than where the original one was, it would have become the ball in play.

 

[chris661]

Or don't declare a provisional and just hit the second ball.

 

[palindromicbob]

Not such a deal in stroke play but in match play your opponent would have been entitled to look for your ball, even if you didn't want to and when found you'd have to play it.

Hind sight is wonderful but the only way to avoid this would have been to not declare the second a provisional.

 

[Gregolf]

Ok cheers guys. Pity as that hole was the difference between shooting in the 70s or 80s.

Didn't realise I could declare a ball my 3rd shot and not provisional though so that's interesting.

 

[Mungoscorner]

"thats gone,i best hit another" is a good saying in these circumstances.

 

[bobmac]

If you had managed to play the provisional from a point closer to the hole than where the original one was, it would have become the ball in play.

Would that be possible in this situation?

 

[Ethan]

If you had managed to play the provisional from a point closer to the hole than where the original one was, it would have become the ball in play.

Would that be possible in this situation?

Yes, but he would only have had to hit it one inch. Or was it one foot - not far in either case.

 

[bobmac]

Is this stroke play or match play?

 

[rosecott]

Is this stroke play or match play?

Makes no difference except that, in match play, the opponent could make him replay his second shot with the provisional if he played out of turn.

 

[bobmac]

Is this stroke play or match play?

Makes no difference except that, in match play, the opponent could make him replay his second shot with the provisional if he played out of turn.

You're not as daft as you look

 

[rosecott]

Is this stroke play or match play?

Makes no difference except that, in match play, the opponent could make him replay his second shot with the provisional if he played out of turn.

You're not as daft as you look

That's only your opinion.

 

[Gregolf]

Yes, but he would only have had to hit it one inch. Or was it one foot - not far in either case.

It was 1 inch! Honest...

 

[rosecott]

"thats gone,i best hit another" is a good saying in these circumstances.

Are you suggesting that saying that would leave your options open?

 

[bladeplayer]

just say nothing & hit another one , doesnt mater what happens then , because you didnt call provisional the 2nd ball is automaticly in play .. isnt it ??? wana be very sure the 1st ball was definatly gone tho .. fair sickner to top the second ball aswell, then walk down & find the 1st one had hit the ditch & bounced out

 

[PeteC]

similar situation happened recently in the Women's Scottish Open. The French girl (can't remember her name) pulled what should have been an easy 150yd approach to the 18th. Her caddy said it 'had gone' (into the crowd, out of bounds left of the green), but in fact it had been stopped by the out of bounds post and remained (just) inbounds.

She played another then walked to the green where she was told about her first ball, but after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing (the ball had been moved by a spectator) they replaced the ball where it had been (just inbounds) ready for her third shot when someone (can't remember who) said "did you declare your second ball a provisional?" to which she replied "no, I don't think so...".

Result: her first ball became irrelevant the moment she struck another ball without declaring it a provisional. Ooops...