Hi Linda,
Here is a scenario: Player A hits a ball from the teeing
ground and the ball goes in the woods. He announces to hit a provisional ball
and hits one. The provisional ball also goes in the woods in the same vicinity
as the original ball. He hits a second provisional ball and this time it lands
in the fairway. Player A looks for his original ball in the woods and finds two
identical balls next to each other with both his personal markings on it and in
bounds. Player B asks Player A which one is the original ball but Player A cannot
identify which is which. Since he cannot identify his original ball it is
considered a lost ball and he needs to hit from where he originally hit his
previous shot. If he's to go back to the tee box, is he hitting three or five
from there?
Lou from the Philippines
Dear Lou,
The picture is not as dire as the one you paint. Since both
balls were found (the original and the first provisional), the Rules feel it
would be unfair to make the player return to the tee to hit his fifth shot.
Accordingly, the player in this scenario is permitted to choose one of the two
balls, abandon the other, and treat the ball he chooses as his provisional
ball. The next stroke the player makes will be his fourth shot on the hole
[Decision 27/11].
This scenario highlights the need to draw a personal
identification mark on every ball in your bag. If the numbers on the balls are
different, your marks may be identical; if the numbers are the same, you should
draw marks that will differentiate them. When you announce a provisional ball,
you should also state how the provisional differs from the original.
Linda
Copyright © 2014 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
