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Interesting situation in the first round of our CC today. Player A hits from fairway on par 4 over green into known nasty area. Drops and plays provisional. Holes out for a 4. Since the ball is holed is it still a provisional since he cannot play a stroke beyond the point the original was lost, whether he looks for it or not?
G.
Garth, below is a decision regarding this. If his fellow competitors go looking and find his original before he picks it out of the hole he's out of luck and must play the original. As the original went over the green I'd be in a hurry to pick it out of the hole.
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27-2b/2 When Provisional Ball Holed Becomes Ball in Play
Q. At a short hole, A’s tee shot may be out of bounds or lost, so he plays a provisional ball, which he holes. A does not wish to look for his original ball. B, A’s opponent or a fellow-competitor, goes to look for the original ball. When does the provisional ball become the ball in play?
A. In equity (Rule 1-4), the provisional ball becomes the ball in play as soon as A picks it out of the hole, provided his original ball has not already been found in bounds within five minutes of B starting to search for it.
Thanks Gerry!