scenario.....

[time_vans]

you are on the dog leg par 4 and go for it....but you play a provisional as you are not sure about the first. provisional is in the hole.....eagle if you cant find your first ball. how hard will you look for the first ball and would you spend 5 minutes in the 'right' area ??

 

[time_vans]

sorry that should be a birdie but scenario still exists.

 

[Toad]

Just declare first ball as lost.
Save time looking

 

[DCB]

Well if I was your playing partner and it was strokeplay, I'd have a wee root about at the back of the green etc.

If it was matchplay, I'd be having a real good root about the likely run off areas.

 

[daveyboy17]

you can declare a ball lost at anytime
as soon as you do that the ball is gone
if it is found after you have said it is lost even if it is within five mins.

 

[thecraw]

declare it lost as soon as you spot your provisional in the hole unless your first ball is an inch or two away and its a tap in EAGLE!

 

[Dormie]

you can declare a ball lost at anytime
as soon as you do that the ball is gone
if it is found after you have said it is lost even if it is within five mins.

Does this count for both stroke and match play?

 

[DCB]

"A player cannot render a ball lost by declaration - See definition of Lost Ball"

In this instance the player would need to putt out the 'provisional ball' thus puting that ball into play by taking a stroke from a point nearer the hole that the first ball is likely to be.

 

[Leftie]

Genius. But what does he now do? The provisional cannot be played as it is in the hole so cannot become the ball in play. Does he have to go back and play another ball as 5 off the tee?

Now, have you also resolved my little rules problem?

 

[DCB]

Well, if the original wasn't found in the five minute search time, then the provisional would become the ball in play.

It would be a real bummer to find the original in 12" of hay behing the green just as you were walking back onto the green though!

 

[USER1999]

You can't declare it lost, but you can deleiberately waste 5 minutes looking in the 'wrong' place.