provisonal rules question

[isaacbm]

In a tournament I was hitting my second shot on a par 5 into the sun and I sliced it towards the ob. because of a hill, no one in my group saw the ball and it looked like it was going ob. I announced provisional and hit another ball up by the green. We get over the hill and the group in front said my ball bounced off the hill into a lateral hazard, not OB. What are my options? I announced " provisional for possible lost ball out of bounds" because no one had seen the course and we didn't know there was a water hazard there.

 

do I have to play the provisional? I thought the rule might have changed and since my intention was to hit the provisional only for lost ball (not hazard) can I still use the lateral options?

[HoffTTM]

You have to continue play with the ball in the hazard.

[isaacbm]

Yes that's right. I was just looking it up.... rule 27-2c

Since the ball was determined to definately be in the hazard, I had to abandon the provisional and play it with the lateral hazard options.

[HackerD]

Strictly speaking provisional is only for lost ball or OB. So it doesn't matter whether you say anything about the hazard before you hit the provisional. (Occasionally a course could have a local rule allowing a provisional for certain water hazards where its difficult to know if you cleared the hazard.)

[Newby]

[quote name='HackerD ' timestamp='1347186758' post='5610725']
Strictly speaking provisional is only for lost ball or OB. So it doesn't matter whether you say anything about the hazard before you hit the provisional.
[/quote]

It matters if you know about the ball being in a WH before you decide to play a provisional.

[isaacbm]

[quote name='HackerD ' timestamp='1347186758' post='5610725']
Strictly speaking provisional is only for lost ball or OB. So it doesn't matter whether you say anything about the hazard before you hit the provisional. (Occasionally a course could have a local rule allowing a provisional for certain water hazards where its difficult to know if you cleared the hazard.)
[/quote]

Not quite right. You can never have a provisional for any hazard, only possibly lost outside a hazard or out of bounds. If you say " provisional " it always means for a ball possibly lost outside a hazard or out of bounds. the reason in this case it was important that I announced what i was doing was because no one saw the ball and no one knew what was over the hill. It didn't "technically" matter but it leads to less confusion ( for people who aren't quite clear on all of the rules) if you tell your marker what you intention is.
[b] c. When Provisional Ball to be Abandoned[/b]

If the original ball is neither [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Lost-Ball"]lost[/url][/i] nor [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Out-Of-Bounds"]out of bounds[/url][/i], the player must abandon the [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Provisional-Ball"]provisional ball[/url][/i] and continue playing the original ball. If it is known or virtually certain that the original ball is in a [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Water-Hazard"]water hazard[/url][/i], the player may proceed in accordance with Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-1"]26-1[/url]. In either situation, if the player makes any further [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Stroke"]strokes[/url][/i] at the [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Provisional-Ball"]provisional ball[/url][/i], he is playing a [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Wrong-Ball"]wrong ball[/url][/i] and the provisions of Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-15/#15-3"]15-3[/url] apply.

A player has to announce his intention.

[KevCarter]

[quote name='isaacbm' timestamp='1347198146' post='5611087']
[quote name='HackerD ' timestamp='1347186758' post='5610725']
Strictly speaking provisional is only for lost ball or OB. So it doesn't matter whether you say anything about the hazard before you hit the provisional. (Occasionally a course could have a local rule allowing a provisional for certain water hazards where its difficult to know if you cleared the hazard.)
[/quote]

Not quite right. [b]You can never have a provisional for any hazard[/b], only possibly lost outside a hazard or out of bounds. If you say " provisional " it [b]always[/b] means for a ball possibly lost outside a hazard or out of bounds. the reason in this case it was important that I announced what i was doing was because no one saw the ball and no one knew what was over the hill. It didn't "technically" matter but it leads to less confusion ( for people who aren't quite clear on all of the rules) if you tell your marker what you intention is.
[b] c. When Provisional Ball to be Abandoned[/b]

If the original ball is neither [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Lost-Ball"]lost[/url][/i] nor [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Out-Of-Bounds"]out of bounds[/url][/i], the player must abandon the [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Provisional-Ball"]provisional ball[/url][/i] and continue playing the original ball. If it is known or virtually certain that the original ball is in a [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Water-Hazard"]water hazard[/url][/i], the player may proceed in accordance with Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-1"]26-1[/url]. In either situation, if the player makes any further [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Stroke"]strokes[/url][/i] at the [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Provisional-Ball"]provisional ball[/url][/i], he is playing a [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Wrong-Ball"]wrong ball[/url][/i] and the provisions of Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-15/#15-3"]15-3[/url] apply.

A player has to announce his intention.
[/quote]



[b] Part B[/b]

[b] Specimen Local Rules[/b]

[color=#000000][size=3]
Within the policy established in Part A of this Appendix, the [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Committee"]Committee[/url][/i] may adopt a Specimen Local Rule by referring, on a score card or notice board, to the examples given below. However, Specimen Local Rules of a temporary nature should not be printed on a score card.[/size][/color]
[b] 1. Water Hazards; Ball Played Provisionally Under Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-1"]26-1[/url][/b]
[color=#000000][size=3]
If a [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Water-Hazard"]water hazard[/url][/i] (including a [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Lateral-Water-Hazard"]lateral water hazard[/url][/i]) is of such size and shape and/or located in such a position that:[/size][/color][color=#000000][size=3]
(i) it would be impracticable to determine whether the ball is in the [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Hazards"]hazard[/url][/i] or to do so would unduly delay play, and[/size][/color][color=#000000][size=3]
(ii) if the original ball is not found, it is known or virtually certain that it is in the [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Water-Hazard"]water hazard[/url][/i],[/size][/color][color=#000000][size=3]
the [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Committee"]Committee[/url][/i] may introduce a Local Rule permitting the play of a ball provisionally under Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-1"]26-1[/url]. The ball is played provisionally under any of the applicable options under Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-1"]26-1[/url] or any applicable Local Rule. In such a case, if a ball is played provisionally and the original ball is in a [i][url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Definitions/#Water-Hazard"]water hazard[/url][/i], the player may play the original ball as it lies or continue with the ball played provisionally, but he may not proceed under Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-1"]26-1[/url] with regard to the original ball.[/size][/color][color=#000000][size=3]
In these circumstances, the following Local Rule is recommended:[/size][/color][color=#003E7E][size=3]
“If there is doubt whether a ball is in or is lost in the water hazard (specify location), the player may play another ball provisionally under any of the applicable options in Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-1"]26-1[/url].[/size][/color][color=#003E7E][size=3]
If the original ball is found outside the water hazard, the player must continue play with it.[/size][/color][color=#003E7E][size=3]
If the original ball is found in the water hazard, the player may either play the original ball as it lies or continue with the ball played provisionally under Rule [url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-1"]26-1[/url].[/size][/color][color=#003E7E][size=3]
If the original ball is not found or identified within the five-minute search period, the player must continue with the ball played provisionally.[/size][/color]
[b] PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:[/b]
[color=#003E7E][size=3]
[u]Match play[/u] – Loss of hole; [u]Stroke play[/u] – Two strokes.”[/size][/color]