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“My ball might be hard to find in the long grass. I’ll play a provisional ball just in case.”
As a Rules Official during our Championships, and back in the office as the OGA’s Manager of Rules Education, a great number of Rules questions come from confusion relating to the playing of a provisional ball. A provisional ball is allowed in The Rules of Golf under Rule 27-2a. The Rule reads,
“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 (stroke and distance; ball out of bounds; ball not found within five minutes). The player must inform his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball, and he must play it before he or his partner goes forward to search for the original ball.
If he fails to do so and plays 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.”
Notice the many caveats that accompany the Rule. A provisional ball is not to be played for a ball that may be in a water hazard (except on certain courses that allow this by Local Rule). This misunderstanding is the most frequent question I field relating to the play of a provisional ball. If a player plays a provisional ball for a ball that may be in a water hazard, even if they have announced their intention to play a provisional, the ball is not a provisional but immediately becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (i.e. you have hit 3 from the tee regardless of where your original ball may be).
The reason for this is based upon the additional options available under Rule 26 (Water Hazard) that do not exist if your ball is out of bounds or lost outside a water hazard. Remember a provisional ball is allowed for the sole purpose of saving time. If your ball lies out of bounds or is not found within 5 minutes your only option would be to proceed back to the tee causing great delay to your group and those soon to be waiting behind you. Rule 26 (Water Hazard and Lateral Water Hazard) provides relief options other than stroke and distance. In addition, rarely do you search a full 5 minutes for a ball in a water hazard before either finding it or attaining virtual certainty it lies within the hazard.
The second paragraph of Rule 27-2a, failing to announce your intentions, can also cause confusion. The Decisions to the Rules of Golf, include a decision (Dec 27-2a/1) that address what does and does not constitute a valid announcement. Most importantly, a player’s actions can never be sufficient without a verbal announcement.
“The player’s statement must specifically mention the words “provisional ball” or must make it clear that he is proceeding under Rule 27-2a. Therefore, a player who says nothing has put another ball into play (it is not a provisional ball).
The following are examples of statements that do not satisfy the requirement of announcing a provisional ball:
(a) “That might be lost. I am going to re-load.”
(b) “That might be out of here.”
(c) “I’d better hit another one.”
(d) “I will never find that one. I’ll play another.””
The Rule also restricts the play of a provisional ball once the player has “gone forward to search for the original ball.” Though this question is rarely asked, it is vitally important to the purpose of the Rule. There is not a specific definition of the meaning of “going forward” but, once again, the Rule is intended to save time. Should a player walk off the tee and soon after realize his ball may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds, it would still fall under the intent of the Rule as a provisional ball would still save time. On the other hand, if the player had walked a considerable distance from where the last stroke was played, the Rules would prohibit the player from returning to the tee to play a provisional. In this case, the player has forfeited the right to a provisional and could either search for 5 minutes or return immediately to the previous spot and play a ball under stroke and distance.
I received the following question from a OGA Handicap Chairman today:
“Is it possible that a yellow hazard line could be in play for one hole and have the same hazard line be red for another hole?”
This is a situation that may be present on your course and is often overlooked when a course drafts Local Rules. For example, I am playing the 14th hole at the OGA Golf Course and I hit a high slice to the right. When I find my ball I notice I have no shot and my ball is in the water hazard located on the 8th hole.
What are my options?
Rule 26-1a would not be be practicable as I would have to proceed back to the spot of my original stroke some 100+ yards back on #14. Rule 26-1b would also not be practicable as I would have to proceed to the tee side of the water hazard on the 8th hole and play a 150 yard shot back over the water hazard to the 14th green. Without a Local Rule in effect, if I cannot play my ball as it lies, I would have no other choices.
The best option here is to have a Local Rule that allows me relief under Rule 26-1c that reads:
“In playing the 14th hole, the water hazard on the 8th hole is deemed to be a lateral water hazard.”
The USGA clearly defines the Committee’s authority to make the following Local Rule in Decision
33-2a/7 Deeming Body of Water as Both Water Hazard and Lateral Water Hazard
A given part of a body of water must not be defined as both a water hazard and a lateral water hazard in play of a particular hole, except in the circumstances described in Decision 33-2a/6.
A given part of a body of water may be defined as a water hazard in play of one hole and a lateral water hazard in play of another hole.
A given part of a body of water may be defined as a water hazard and another part of the same body of water as a lateral water hazard.
Decision 33-2a/6 is referred to in this decision and reads as follows:
33-2a/6 Pond Is Water Hazard from Back Tee and Lateral Water Hazard from Forward Tee
Q. A pond on a par-3 hole meets the Definition of a lateral water hazard in play from the forward tee but not from the back tee. How should the Committee handle this situation?
A. The pond should be defined as a water hazard with yellow stakes or a yellow line, and there should be a Local Rule to the effect that the hazard is a lateral water hazard in play from the forward tee.
Not only can a water hazard be altered by Local Rule on a neighboring hole, but should the condition exist, and a Local Rule is in effect, a player may have different options depending on the tee they have played from.
I received a question from a Central Oregon golf course asking what a player’s options are when their ball lies on or their is interference from cart paths that run through a bunker (I will have a site visit in the second week of May and will add pictures to update this post upon my return).
- “If a ball lies on the cart path can I take relief from the immovable obstruction outside the bunker without penalty?”
The short answer is no but many additional questions quickly followed:
- “Can I ground my club on the cart path?”
- “What options do I have for relief?”
- “Can we make a local rule to grant relief?”
The Note under Rule 13-4 reads:
“At any time, including at address or in the backward movement for the stroke, the player may touch, with a club or otherwise, any obstruction, any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course or any grass, bush , tree or other growing thing.”
Without penalty, a player may ground their club on a cart path, even though it may run through a hazard. This concept is reinforced through Decision 13-4/30 – Grounding Club on Bridge in Water Hazard.
In addition, decision 13/5 – Ball Lying on Obstruction in Bunker, further clarifies a player’s relief options by stating:
“Although the margin of a bunker does not extend upward, a ball lying on an obstruction in a bunker is in the bunker.”
Deeming the ball in the bunker, even though both the player and the ball may not be touching the sand, significantly alters a player’s relief options.
Rule 24-2b(ii) allows a player two options for relief from an immovable obstruction when a ball lies in a hazard. Below, (a) is paraphrased from Rule 24-2b(ii) and (b) is as the Rule states:
(a) Free relief is allowed by determining the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole, that provides complete relief from the obstruction. This reference point must remain in the bunker. After determining the nearest point of relief the player may drop a ball one club length, no near the hole than the reference point that allows complete relief. The ball must first strike the course in the bunker.
(b) “Under penalty of one stroke a player may drop a ball outside the bunker keeping the point where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped.”
In some cases, a player choosing to take relief would not be able to achieve complete relief, no nearer the hole, and still drop within the bunker. In this situation the player would either have to play the ball as it lies on the obstruction, drop under option (b) above, or proceed under Rule 28 – Ball Unplayable.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe a Local Rule is possible without breaching the Rules of Golf, though, I’m certain to have additional thoughts and a few pictures to post after viewing the condition in person.
