While Lulu was absolutely correct in with regard to her
actions as she described them, if she had "gone forward" to look for
the original ball and then returned to the original spot to hit another ball,
that second hit is not a provisional but will become the ball in play even if
the original ball is found within 5 minutes. This is often overlooked and
a reason why I always play a provisional from the tee (or anywhere) if there is
any chance it could be lost or OB, unless there are hazards in the same
vicinity where the ball could be playable with or without a drop.
So, my question for you is: What is the definition of “gone
forward?” Is it simply leaving the original hitting area and if so,
marked by what or how far?
Finally, it seems like the sole purpose of the provisional
rule as written is to speed up play (which is obviously good). But it can
create a rare advantage to the player. Suppose, the second shot of the
shorter provisional ball was fantastic - i.e. a hole out or something equally
great given the circumstances. The player could decide to abandon the
original ball by not even looking for it. In match play, the opponent(s)
may want to do their own search forcing the player to play the original ball,
but in stroke play, do the playing partners have an obligation to "protect
the field" by doing the same thing?
Lou
Dear Lou,
Decision 27-2a/1.5 explains what is meant by going forward
to search for your ball. A player has not gone forward simply because he has
taken a step or two in the direction he hit the original ball. He may need to
walk forward to return to his bag to get another ball or select another club to
hit his provisional.
Common sense should help you (or the Committee) decide
whether a player has “gone forward.” I would say that once a player has
returned his club to his bag and starts walking (or riding) forward, he has
forfeited his chance to hit a provisional ball.
There are several Decisions that address the issue of not
searching for your provisional ball. Let’s see what they have to say:
Decision 27/16 talks about a player who searches for two
minutes, gives up, declares his ball “lost,” and starts back to hit another
ball. Within the five-minute search period, another player finds the ball. The
ruling is that the player must return to hit the original ball. A player may
not “declare” his ball to be lost – it must actually be lost according to the
Definition of Lost Ball.
Decision 27-2/2 addresses the problem of someone other than
the player finding his ball within five minutes when it is clear that the
player has no intention of looking for the ball and prefers to continue with
the provisional. The ruling is that whoever finds the ball is obligated to
notify the player. Since it has been found within five minutes, the player must
abandon the provisional and continue play with the original.
Decision 27-2b/1 talks about a player who hits his first
shot on a par 3 deep into the woods, and hits his provisional close to the
hole. The player decides not to search for the original, but his opponent or
fellow competitor realizes that it would benefit him to find the ball. The
ruling is that the opponent or fellow competitor is well within his rights to
search for five minutes for the original ball. If the player holes out before someone
else finds the ball, he has played a stroke with the provisional that is nearer
the hole than the original, which renders the original lost. In essence, it
becomes a foot race between the player hurrying to putt his ball into the hole
while the other fellow tries to find the ball before the putt is struck.
It seems perfectly clear in match play that you would want
to search for your opponent’s ball if his provisional has given him the
opportunity to win or halve the hole. In stroke play, while there is no
obligation to search for a fellow competitor’s ball, I think that a player
would want to conduct a search to protect the field.
Linda
Follow-up question from Lou, and my answer:
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Follow-up question from Lou, and my answer:
Linda,
As usual, an excellent description of how to proceed. My only question is about the "...foot race..." situation. In
match play, couldn't the opponents ask him to putt again for playing out of
turn? If the ball was then found, wouldn't he have to abandon the
provisional?
Lou
Dear Lou,
The player’s opponent may certainly recall the player’s
stroke in match play for hitting out of turn. However, the original ball would
still be “lost” under the Rules – it was deemed “lost” as soon as the player
played the provisional from a spot that was closer to the hole than his
original [Decision 27-2b/1]. The only effect recalling the stroke will have is
to force the player to putt again. Assuming the ball was very close to the
hole, it is doubtful recalling the stroke will change the outcome of the hole.
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
