Dear Linda,
There is a hole that has a lateral hazard all along the right side of the fairway on a par 4. Most of the gals lay up to the left of a big tree in the middle of the fairway to pitch it over to the green. It is close to impossible to see whether the ball made it over or not. Can a player hit a “provisional” ball from anywhere???
Thanks,
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
A provisional ball may be hit any time a player suspects her ball may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds. It makes no difference whether the ball that may be lost or out of bounds was hit from the tee, the rough, the fairway, a bunker, etc. The provisional ball must be hit before a player goes forward to search for her ball.
Please read Local Rule for Water Hazards, published on October 15, 2011, for a possible way to speed up play on this hole.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
