Hi Linda,
May the player declare his first ball unplayable, standing on the tee!, and take the provisonal ball for ball in play ?
Thanks,
Lou from Belgium
Dear Lou,
No.
The player may suspect (or know) that his first ball from the tee is unplayable, but if he declares the second shot from the tee a provisional, that ball may not serve as the ball played under the stroke-and-distance relief option for an unplayable ball. The provisional ball has only one purpose, which is to serve as the ball in play should the original ball be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds.
If the player goes forward to search for his original ball and finds it, he must abandon the provisional ball. If he decides that the original ball is unplayable, he must choose one of the relief options for an unplayable ball. If he chooses the stroke-and-distance relief option, he must return to the tee (which is where he hit his previous stroke). This tee shot will be his third shot on the hole. No strokes with the provisional ball will count.
However, if the player hits a third ball off the tee for an unplayable ball, before going forward to search for his original ball, that third ball becomes the ball in play and is the player’s fifthshot on the hole. You cannot disregard play of the provisional ball unless the original ball is found.
If the player is certain his original ball is unplayable, and he decides his best (or only workable) relief option is to play another ball under stroke and distance, he should simply play another ball from the tee. The only reason to play a provisional ball would be if he suspects the original may be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds.
Linda
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