Stating and Hearing Provisional

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Three ball. Short par 4. One player going for it. Other two play and walk ahead, stopping short of the green to wait for the 3rd player. Green clears and other player drives.

What should he do if his drive goes astray and he decides to play a provisional or indeed put another ball in play…bearing in mind that there is no one on the tee to hear him declare what he is about to do.
 
take his word
Pragmatically in most social or club golf maybe…but in all levels and significance of competition? Or should he call one of the other players back to state his intent…?

After all...we are quick to pull up a player not stating that he is playing a provisional. Pointing out when he does and we don’t hear him state provisional that he has put a new ball into play.
 
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as the 2 players had already wandered forwards (not sure why they thought this was a good idea) they have no choice but to take the player's word as gospel.
 
18.3b. If there is no one nearby to hear the player’s announcement, the player may play the provisional ball and then inform someone of their actions when possible to do so.
ok fine. Simply ask as the player could play a peach of a provisional but the other two could find his first ball in a terrible and unplayable place. The player could then say that he guessed it would be horrid so put a new ball in play. One of those situations when the integrity and honesty of the player is what the rules sometimes have to fall back upon.
 
ok fine. Simply ask as the player could play a peach of a provisional but the other two could find his first ball in a terrible and unplayable place. The player could then say that he guessed it would be horrid so put a new ball in play. One of those situations when the integrity and honesty of the player is what the rules sometimes have to fall back upon.

If the rest of the group are going to go forward maybe the player should write ‘P’ or ‘NP’ on his 2nd ball before he hits it then you don’t have to worry if they’ve been honest or not
:giggle:
 
If the rest of the group are going to go forward maybe the player should write ‘P’ or ‘NP’ on his 2nd ball before he hits it then you don’t have to worry if they’ve been honest or not
:giggle:
Now that’s an idea, though the rules don’t require that.
 
If the rest of the group are going to go forward maybe the player should write ‘P’ or ‘NP’ on his 2nd ball before he hits it then you don’t have to worry if they’ve been honest or not
:giggle:
What if the guy is called Paul or Nick Price, they might just be his initials for identification purposes ;):ROFLMAO:
 
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