Miles Bennett
A provisional ball in golf is a second ball that can be played when a golfer believes their original ball might be lost outside a penalty area or is out of bounds. This rule saves golfers the time and embarrassment of having to return to the tee after discovering their original ball is lost or out of bounds. It is important to note that golfers must announce their intention to play a provisional ball before making the stroke. If the original ball is found, golfers must continue playing with it, even if they had declared it lost.
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What You'll Learn
When to use a provisional ball
A provisional ball is played when a golfer believes their original ball may be lost or out of bounds. If a golfer hits their ball into a wooded area, for example, and is unsure if it is lost, they can play a provisional ball as a backup. This saves the golfer time and the need to walk to the area where they think the ball may be, only to find it is lost and then have to walk back to the original spot to play their next shot.
There are a few important rules to note when using a provisional ball:
- You must announce to your opponent in match play or your fellow competitor in stroke play that you intend to play a provisional ball.
- You can only play a provisional ball if you think your original ball might be lost outside a penalty area. If there is a chance it is in a water hazard, you must first play your original ball or take relief under the water hazard relief rules.
- You can continue to play the provisional ball until you reach the estimated location of your original ball. If you are playing the provisional ball and find your original, you must abandon the provisional and continue playing with the original.
- If you cannot find your original ball within three minutes of searching, it is considered lost, and you must continue playing with the provisional ball.
- If your original ball is found outside a penalty area before the three-minute search time is up, you must abandon the provisional ball and play your original.
In summary, a provisional ball is used when a golfer believes their original ball may be lost or out of bounds, saving time and potential penalty strokes. It is important to follow the proper procedures when using a provisional ball to avoid any penalties or advantages over your playing partners.
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Rules around announcing the use of a provisional ball
A provisional ball is played in case the ball just played might be out of bounds or lost outside a penalty area. The rules of golf are quite specific about when and how a provisional ball can be played.
Firstly, you must announce your intention to play a provisional ball. This must be done before you play the ball. You must use the words "provisional ball" or reference the rule number (27-2a). If you do not make this announcement, even if you intended to play a provisional, and play a ball from where the previous stroke was made, that ball is your ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance. If there are no other people nearby to hear your announcement, you are still considered to have made it, provided that you inform someone when it becomes possible to do so.
Secondly, if you have walked forward to search for your original ball, you can no longer turn around to walk back and play a provisional. Most golfers play a provisional right away, so this requirement is usually satisfied.
Thirdly, you cannot play a provisional ball if you think your ball might be lost in a water hazard. If there is a chance that your ball is lost in a water hazard but also a chance that it is lost outside the hazard, you can play a provisional. If it is then determined that your ball is in the water hazard, you must abandon the provisional and play your original ball or take relief under the water hazard relief options.
Finally, you can continue to play your provisional ball until you reach the place where your original ball is likely to be. For example, if you hit your original ball 250 yards from the tee but only hit your provisional ball 100 yards, you can keep playing the provisional ball until you are the same distance from the hole as your original ball is likely to be.
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Where to play a provisional ball from
A provisional ball is played when a golfer believes their original ball might be lost or out of bounds. It is played from the spot of the previous stroke, and the golfer must announce their intention to play a provisional ball before searching for the original. This saves the golfer from having to walk back to the previous spot in case the original ball is indeed lost or out of bounds.
Now, where to play a provisional ball from depends on a few factors. Firstly, you cannot play a provisional ball if you think your original ball might be lost in a water hazard. If there is a chance it is in a water hazard, you must play your next shot from the original ball or take relief under the water hazard relief options. If there is a chance the ball is lost in trees or long grass outside a water hazard, then you can play a provisional ball.
Secondly, you must play the provisional ball before you have gone forward to search for the original ball. If you have walked approximately 50 yards or more to search for the original, you cannot turn back to play a provisional.
Thirdly, the provisional ball must be played from a spot that is the same distance or farther from the hole than where the original ball is estimated to be. You can continue to play the provisional ball until you reach the place where the original ball is likely to be.
Lastly, some courses have a local rule that allows golfers to bring their ball out laterally to the edge of the fairway and drop it, incurring a two-stroke penalty.
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What happens if the original ball is found
A provisional ball is played when a golfer believes their original ball may be lost or out of bounds. If the original ball is found outside a penalty area, the golfer must abandon the provisional ball and play the original ball as it lies or take penalty relief.
If the original ball is found within a penalty area, the golfer has two options. They can either play the original ball as it lies or take penalty relief. If the provisional ball has not yet become the ball in play, the golfer must make all reasonable efforts to identify the original ball. Failure to do so may result in disqualification by the Committee under Rule 1.2a.
If the original ball is found within three minutes of the start of the search, the golfer must play the original ball and cannot continue with the provisional. However, if the golfer announces that they are playing a provisional ball, they can continue with the provisional even if the original ball is found within the three-minute search time. This is because the provisional ball becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance.
It is important to note that a provisional ball cannot be played if the golfer believes their original ball might be lost in a water hazard. If there is a chance the ball is lost in a water hazard and also a chance it is lost outside the hazard, a provisional ball can be played. However, if the original ball is found to be in the water hazard, the provisional ball must be abandoned.
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Provisional balls and water hazards
A provisional ball is played to save time when a player hits a shot and thinks their original ball might be lost or out of bounds. Rule 27-2 (Provisional Ball) requires two things: first, the player must announce their intention to play a provisional ball, using the words "provisional ball" or referencing Rule 27-2a. Secondly, the player must play the second ball before they have gone forward to search for the original ball.
Provisional balls cannot be played if the original ball is thought to be lost in a water hazard. If there is a chance the ball is lost in a water hazard and also a chance it is lost outside the water hazard, a provisional ball can be played. If the original ball is then found to be in the water hazard, the provisional ball must be abandoned.
If a player's shot lands in a water hazard, they have several options. They can play the shot as it lies, with no penalty. They can take a one-shot penalty and replay the shot from where the original stroke was made, or they can take a drop from the point where the ball crossed into the hazard, moving back in a straight line as far as they wish, with a one-shot penalty.
If a player hits a provisional ball and thinks that this ball might also be lost or out of bounds, they are permitted to play a second provisional ball.
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Frequently asked questions
A provisional, or provisional ball, is a second ball that golfers can play when they think their original ball might be lost outside of a penalty area or out of bounds.
Playing a provisional ball can save time and embarrassment. If your original ball is lost or out of bounds, you can continue playing with the provisional ball under stroke and distance rules.
You must announce to someone that you are playing a provisional ball. Simply saying "I'm playing another ball" is not enough. If you don't make your intention clear, your provisional ball becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance rules.
If your original ball is found within three minutes, you must proceed using that ball.
