Posted for Gary Brown, Rules Committee Chair
Provisional Ball Rule Clarification:
The provisional ball has been quite the topic of conversation lately. This post is intended to clarify the rule so that everyone plays it the same. Below is the text copied directly from the USGA rule 27-2 and the Metro Seniors “Tournament Rules Summary”. The Metro Seniors Rules Exception for eliminating the distance penalty from a Lost or Out of Bounds shot was not intended to eliminate Rule 27-2 regarding playing a Provisional Ball, but only to improve our Pace of Play. Metro Seniors players must adhere to the USGA Rule, except for the distance penalty.
- MS Rules Clarification
A provisional ball may be played according to the USGA rule 27-2a. A provisional ball may be played after any errant shot, not just a tee shot. It must be announced and played from its original position before moving forward to search or the player waives their option to hit a provisional ball. If the player elects to play a provisional ball according to the USGA rule and then goes forward to search for and finds his original ball in-bounds and within our 3-minute search time, the player must abandon the provisional ball and continue playing the original ball without penalty.
- The Search
Another clarification is when the 3-minute search limit starts. Since we have shortened the USGA search time from 5 to 3 minutes to improve our pace of play, the “search” begins when the player moves to the point where the ball is thought to lie.
- USGA Rule
27-2. Provisional Ball
- a. Procedure
If a ball may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds, to save time the player may play another ball provisionally in accordance with Rule 27-1. The player must:
(i) announce to his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball; and
(ii) play the provisional ball before he or his partner goes forward to search for the original ball.
If a player fails to meet the above requirements prior to playing another ball, that ball is not a provisional ball and becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1); the original ball is lost.
- b. When Provisional Ball Becomes Ball in Play
The player may play a provisional ball until he reaches the place where the original ball is likely to be. If he makes a stroke with the provisional ball from the place where the original ball is likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than that place, the original ball is lost and the provisional ball becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1).
If the original ball is lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, the provisional ball becomes the ball in play, under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1).
Exception: If it is known or virtually certain that the original ball, that has not been found, has been moved by an outside agency (Rule 18-1), or is in an obstruction(Rule 24-3) or an abnormal ground condition (Rule 25-1c), the player may proceed under the applicable Rule.
- c. When Provisional Ball to be Abandoned
If the original ball is neither lost nor out of bounds, the player must abandon the provisional ball and continue playing the original ball. If it is known or virtually certain that the original ball is in a water hazard, the player may proceed in accordance with Rule 26-1. In either situation, if the player makes any further strokes at the provisional ball, he is playing a wrong ball and the provisions of Rule 15-3 apply.
Note: If a player plays a provisional ball under Rule 27-2a, the strokes made after this Rule has been invoked with a provisional ball subsequently abandoned under Rule 27-2c and penalties incurred solely by playing that ball are disregarded.
- Metro Seniors Tournament Rules Summary
LOST BALLS or OUT OF BOUNDS BALLS
USGA Rules of Golf require replay (or provisional ball) plus penalty stroke for and Out of Bounds or Lost Ball. Metro Seniors allows for playing within 2 club lengths from the crossing of OB or probable Lost position plus a penalty stroke. Limit ball searches to 3 minutes maximum.
Thanks for reading our blog post. Let’s all get out and enjoy this wonderful game we play.
Gary Brown
Rules Committee