Rules Question

alxmorgan

Hi,

Say I hit a ball into dense rough from the tee where I'd rather not find it.
Do I have to look ? If I play second ball from the tee and do not declare it a provisional then thats my ball in play regardless of whether the other is found ?

Got a rules email just there that stated...

Of course, the correct thing to do if you definitely do not want to search for your original ball is to put another ball into play as quickly as possible, without declaring it as a provisional ball. Remember that on the teeing ground you have to wait until all the players in the group have played before you play your second ball from the tee. Once you have made a stroke at another ball, under penalty of stroke and distance, it does not matter if your original ball is then found, as it is no longer the ball in play.

So is there any onus on you to look for your ball ?

Trampas

I remember Big Phil hitting a ball into rubbish and hitting a provo straight down the middle. He was shouting that he didn't want them to look for his ball cause if it was found he would have to play it.

If you declare your ball lost then I think you are ok to continue on.

Just don't bother going looking for it to be safe

soundsham

no,yes,no.

fullstop

Trampas wrote: »

I remember Big Phil hitting a ball into rubbish and hitting a provo straight down the middle. He was shouting that he didn't want them to look for his ball cause if it was found he would have to play it.

If you declare your ball lost then I think you are ok to continue on.

Just don't bother going looking for it to be safe

I remember this, 72nd hole of a tournament he was leading. One of the crowd found the ball and he ended up having to go back to the tee.

Russman

soundsham wrote: »

no,yes,no.

+1 to that

Gophur

fullstop wrote: »

I remember this, 72nd hole of a tournament he was leading. One of the crowd found the ball and he ended up having to go back to the tee.

If the ball was found, why would he have had to go back to the tee?

Given he had already played a second ball, without declaring it a provisional, surely the first one was declared lost?

fullstop

Gophur wrote: »

If the ball was found, why would he have had to go back to the tee?

Given he had already played a second ball, without declaring it a provisional, surely the first one was declared lost?

He did declare the second one provisional, ripped it down the middle so didn't want to find the first one. It was found in unplayable lie and he had nowhere to go for penalty drop.

GreeBo

Trampas wrote: »

If you declare your ball lost

FYI you cannot declare a ball lost. Your ball may be deemed lost under various circumstances (including hitting another ball that is not declared a provo or hitting your provo on or past a point you fairly think the original ball may be)

stockdam

GreeBo wrote: »

FYI you cannot declare ball lost Your ball may be deemed lost under various circumstances (including hitting another ball that is not declared a provo or hitting your provo on or past a point you fairly think the original ball may be)

Well you can by not declaring that the "2nd" ball is provisional. You must clearly declare a provisional.......I've seen many people believe that a provisional is automatic.

stockdam

Gophur wrote: »

If the ball was found, why would he have had to go back to the tee?

Given he had already played a second ball, without declaring it a provisional, surely the first one was declared lost?

If he declared a provisional and if he found the original before playing the provisional beyond the point where his original ball was found then the original ball is in play and the provisional is now void and cannot be played. Hence if he or somebody else found the original ball then he would have to start afresh with his options......one of which is to go back to the tee (or place where the original shot was hit). You can't bring your provisional back into play and say that it is your third shot if the first ball is found.