Which ball to hit ?

[Dellboy]

So I hit / sliced my drive today, heading for OB but hit a large tree, we heard 2 solid thumps and I thought I saw a my ball drop down, as I wasn't 100% sure I hit a second ball (provisional) that wasn't much better failing into the 2nd cut 10-15yrs further on than the first.
We walked over to the tree but couldn't find my first shot, so moved onto my provisional which I found very easily, or so I thought, as 10-12 inches to the right of it, also in the 2nd cut, was my other ball.
Now I know both balls were mine, I mark my balls with my initials in two colours, but as they were both the same, Wilson DX3 No.3 I couldn't tell which was my 1st or 2nd ball, yes in hindsight I should have made sure they were different numbers, but I didn't.
We didn't know what the ruling was and which one, if any, I should of hit.
As it was match play I conceded the hole then went on to lose 5&4.

Can anyone please tell me the ruling, I have been looking tonight but not found the rule which covers this.

Mant thanks

 

[chrisd]

As I understand it, so long as you can identify both balls the one you play is your provisional (whether or not it really is)

 

[Dellboy]

As I understand it, so long as you can identify both balls the one you play is your provisional (whether or not it really is)

We did think of that, but without know for sure which was which, I had a 50/50 chance of hitting the wrong ball.

It didn’t matter in the end, I lost the match to a far better player, but would just like to know which rule covers this.

many thanks

 

[bladeplayer]

So I hit / sliced my drive today, heading for OB but hit a large tree, we heard 2 solid thumps and I thought I saw a my ball drop down, as I wasn't 100% sure I hit a second ball (provisional) that wasn't much better failing into the 2nd cut 10-15yrs further on than the first.
We walked over to the tree but couldn't find my first shot, so moved onto my provisional which I found very easily, or so I thought, as 10-12 inches to the right of it, also in the 2nd cut, was my other ball.
Now I know both balls were mine, I mark my balls with my initials in two colours, but as they were both the same, Wilson DX3 No.3 I couldn't tell which was my 1st or 2nd ball, yes in hindsight I should have made sure they were different numbers, but I didn't.
We didn't know what the ruling was and which one, if any, I should of hit.
As it was match play I conceded the hole then went on to lose 5&4.

Can anyone please tell me the ruling, I have been looking tonight but not found the rule which covers this.

Mant thanks

Read through rule 18.3 it covers this exact scenario. U play either ball but as the provo , so ur hitting 4th shot

 

[bladeplayer]

 

[Ethan]

Apologies to those who have read this anecdote before.

Played in a group and one of the group hit a drive that looked dodgy, so he says "I'll hit a provisional. This is a Titleist No. 3. The original ball was a No. 1". He hits the provo and a second or two after it leaves the club not looking all that clever either, one of the other players says "Got any No. 5s?".

 

[Colin L]

We did think of that, but without know for sure which was which, I had a 50/50 chance of hitting the wrong ball.

It didn’t matter in the end, I lost the match to a far better player, but would just like to know which rule covers this.

many thanks

By having to count the ball you choose as your provisional, that 50/50 chance changes to the certainty that you are playing your 4th shot. Clever guys these rule makers.

 

[Dellboy]

Thank you all for your help, every days a school,day, will have a good read through the book.

Many thanks

 

[Orikoru]

View attachment 37731

I wasn't aware of this rule. I thought you be going back to the tee if you couldn't identify which is one. The above basically means you can choose which ball to play, which almost every other rule in golf is designed to preclude you from doing.

 

[Ethan]

I wasn't aware of this rule. I thought you be going back to the tee if you couldn't identify which is one. The above basically means you can choose which ball to play, which almost every other rule in golf is designed to preclude you from doing.

Well, you should be playing your original with no penalty, but because you can't distinguish it from the provo, you pay the penalty of stroke and distance for not knowing.

 

[Orikoru]

Well, you should be playing your original with no penalty, but because you can't distinguish it from the provo, you pay the penalty of stroke and distance for not knowing.

That's all fine, I just mean, I'm surprised the rule then lets you choose which ball to play. I thought it might say play the one that's further from the hole or something. But it allows the opportunity of picking the one with the better lie.

 

[Ethan]

That's all fine, I just mean, I'm surprised the rule then lets you choose which ball to play. I thought it might say play the one that's further from the hole or something. But it allows the opportunity of picking the one with the better lie.

You would be playing one ball penalty-free or the other ball under penalty, so you could be given the option to choose to play the original no penalty or the provo with penalty, but since you don't know which is which, you can still have the option but you still also get the penalty.

I think that short of making you go back and play 5 off the tee, which seems extreme, this is reasonable. Choosing the ball that is further away may or may not be the easier ball to play.

 

[bladeplayer]

You would be playing one ball penalty-free or the other ball under penalty, so you could be given the option to choose to play the original no penalty or the provo with penalty, but since you don't know which is which, you can still have the option but you still also get the penalty.

I think that short of making you go back and play 5 off the tee, which seems extreme, this is reasonable. Choosing the ball that is further away may or may not be the easier ball to play.

I know the rule but Tbh Id b kinda thinking you should be made go back to tee if u cant clearly identify ur ball .

 

[Ethan]

I know the rule but Tbh Id b kinda thinking you should be made go back to tee if u cant clearly identify ur ball .

you can identify your ball, both of them, just not which is which, so taking the penalty and playing either one seems reasonable to me.

 

[bladeplayer]

Only my opinion but both balls are in play . Ur obliged to play ur first ball , u cannot determine which is your first ball so back to the tee

As i say only my opinion rules cleary states otherwisev

 

[Orikoru]

Only my opinion but both balls are in play . Ur obliged to play ur first ball , u cannot determine which is your first ball so back to the tee

As i say only my opinion rules cleary states otherwisev

This is an extremely rare case where the rules are more lenient than I thought they would be. That almost never happens.

 

[Colin L]

This is an extremely rare case where the rules are more lenient than I thought they would be. That almost never happens.

Not unique, but having a choice of balls to play is certainly rare.

It's worth noting that the rule as it stands is also.a timesaver.

 

[badgergm]

So I hit / sliced my drive today, heading for OB but hit a large tree, we heard 2 solid thumps and I thought I saw a my ball drop down, as I wasn't 100% sure I hit a second ball (provisional) that wasn't much better failing into the 2nd cut 10-15yrs further on than the first.
We walked over to the tree but couldn't find my first shot, so moved onto my provisional which I found very easily, or so I thought, as 10-12 inches to the right of it, also in the 2nd cut, was my other ball.
Now I know both balls were mine, I mark my balls with my initials in two colours, but as they were both the same, Wilson DX3 No.3 I couldn't tell which was my 1st or 2nd ball, yes in hindsight I should have made sure they were different numbers, but I didn't.
We didn't know what the ruling was and which one, if any, I should of hit.
As it was match play I conceded the hole then went on to lose 5&4.

Can anyone please tell me the ruling, I have been looking tonight but not found the rule which covers this.

Mant thanks

Sounds like quite a clatter on the tree. Any mark on the ball (seem to get a yellow mark these days)?
If there was, would that be accepted as sufficient to identify the original?

As a general comment unless balls very new, then I’d say there’s a good chance that you could differentiate the one you’d been playing with. Slight difference in initials marking maybe?

 

[Canfordhacker]

Fascinating this one, thanks for the posts. On the face of it it seems counter intuitive, but I love the logic.

 

[srixon 1]

In over 35 years of golfing I have never come across this before. As they say, every day is a school day. My provisionals are usually on the opposite side of the fairway to my first shot. ?