whatis the rule

[griffgolf]

Hi all,

Today I hit my drive into the trees on the left side of the fairway, when we went to the spot we could not find my ball.

After a couple of minutes I said to my playing partner please keep on looking for my ball whilst I go back to the tee and play a provisional ball.

After hitting my provisional ball off the tee I returned to my playing partner who then declared that my original ball had just fallen out of the tree which I then identified as my original ball.

My question is do I play my original ball or do I have to play my provisional ball?

Thankyou

griffgolf

 

[JT77]

u have to play the ball you have just played off the tee. Once you head back and hit a ball that ball is in play regardless of finding the first. If your mate found the ball before you played the second ball then you could still have played your original ball, providing it was within the 5 mins.

 

[griffgolf]

Thanks jamestaylor77.

It was something I just needed to clear up for my own sanity....lol

Cheers

griffgolf

 

[Golfmmad]

That's funny, I thought as long as you declared your 2nd ball a provisional, and your mate finds your first whilst you're teeing off, then you have to play the original.

Golfmmad.

 

[JT77]

No worries mate,

Golfmad, If you walk away from the tee and search for your first ball, dont find it, so walk back and hit another, it is then the ball in play, regardless of you finding the first. Had the op hit a second ball from the tee and declared it a prov, then within 5 mins found his first, the first ball would be in ball.

 

[jammydodger]

As long as you state you are playing a provisional then you can still play your original if found before 5 minutes are up , quite simple really.

You DO NOT lose your right to play your original the moment you head back to the tee.

 

[jammydodger]

Golfmad, If you walk away from the tee and search for your first ball, dont find it, so walk back and hit another, it is then the ball in play,

Not true if your 5 minutes arent up and you have stated provisional ball

 

[JT77]

No you dont when you walk back, but when you hit a second ball it is then in play.

You can't go back to the tee and play a provisional. If you go back to the tee, and play another ball the ball you put into play becomes the ball in play.

Rule 27-2 is clear on this.

27-2. Provisional Ball
a. Procedure
If a ball may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds, to save time the player may play another ball provisionally in accordance with Rule 27-1.The player must inform his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball, and he must play it before he or his partner goes forward to search for the original ball. If he fails to do so and plays another ball, that ball is not a provisional ball and becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance
(Rule 27-1); the original ball is lost.

Just stole this from a thread from the other day.

 

[CliveW]

The mistake here is that you can't go back to the tee and play a "Provisional" ball
Under Rule 27-2 "The player must inform his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball, AND HE MUST PLAY IT BEFORE HE OR HIS PARTNER GOES FORWARD TO SEARCH FOR THE ORIGINAL BALL".
When you walk back and play a second ball from the tee or as near as possible from where the lost ball was struck, it is under penalty of one stroke, and that ball is then in play as soon as it is dropped. (Rule 20-5)

 

[rickg]

Provisional ball MUST be played BEFORE you go forward to look for your ball.
If you look for your ball and can't find it, you can't go back and play a provisional......you would be going back to play a substituted ball.
If however, your original is found by a playing partner before you play it and within the 5 minutes, then you can play the original.

 

[CliveW]

Bu##er! One minute too late!

 

[JT77]

lol

I actually thought i was cracking up for a minute, so thanks for restoring my sanity!!

 

[rickg]

I was 2 minutes too late!!!

 

[griffgolf]

jamestaylor77,

If your cracking up what about me LOL

 

[jammydodger]

Looks like I stand corrected on that one then , apologies for my error.

 

[Golfmmad]

Ok thanks guys, I stand corrected.

Rules eh, don't you just love 'em?

Golfmmad.

 

[JT77]

I guess there are so many that even the pros get rulings all the time

 

[griffgolf]

Thanks Guys,

I have learnt a big lesson today that I will take to the course with me in the future

Cheers

griffgolf

 

[richart]

We hold the Selbourne Salver at our course, which is one of the biggest amateur events in Hampshire. Won by Ross Fisher a few years back.

One of the players last year drove off, and after walking forward a few yards to see over the brow of a hill, realised his ball may be in trouble. He walked back to the tee, less than ten yards and played a 'provisional'. He found his original ball, and played out the hole with it.

After he had signed his card another player who had been playing on a nearby fairway informed the committee, and he was disqualified.

The correct decision was made as he had signed for a lower score, but his playing partners, two top amateurs,as well as the player, had no idea he had broken the rules.