Hi Linda,
A question from Bermuda…
Last weekend I played what is considered by Golf Digest one
of the best par three courses in the world…. Turtle Hill. On hole #3, which is
over a large pond, I pulled my tee shot into the bank on the far side which is
lush with vegetation and I know almost impossible to find balls. Knowing this,
I said to my fellow competitors (stroke play) that I was going to hit another
as that one is gone! I said nothing about hitting a provisional! I hit my
second into the hazard beside the green. When driving around and parking the
cart, my fellow competitor climbed up the bank and “found” my ball. I was told
by one of the senior players in our group that I “had” to play it since it was
found. I had to back track 15 to 20 yards in line with the pin in order to play
any kind of a shot, and then hit a palm tree which ended up on the pond
necessitating another ball which I finally got onto the green. I ended up with
nine strokes on that hole, which kind of put a downer on the rest of the game.
Afterward I was thinking that if I didn’t declare my second
ball as a “provisional” then my second ball off the tee was the ball in play
regardless if the first ball was found or not! I should have stuck to my guns
when I protested about having to play my first found ball off the steep bank in
deep vegetation. Even if you say nothing when teeing up a second time, as long
as you don’t say you are hitting a provisional, your second ball is automatically
the ball in play. Am I right?
Lou from Bermuda
Dear Lou,
You are absolutely correct, Lou, You should have stuck to
your guns.
When a player hits a second ball without announcing that he
is hitting that ball provisionally, he has put another ball in play under
stroke and distance [Rule 27-1]. The second ball is now the ball in play, and
the first ball is “lost” under the Rules [Definition of “Lost Ball”]. If the
“lost” ball is found, you may not play it.
It might be a good idea to tell your fellow competitors that
you are hitting the second ball under stroke and distance. Also state that it
is not a provisional ball, and will count as your third stroke on the hole.
While such announcements are not required, they would help avoid confusion
should the original ball be found. Everything you say to avoid confusion is OK
in my book!
Linda
Copyright © 2014 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
