You may play a provisional ball when your original ball may be lost outside a penalty area or may be out of bounds. Before playing it, clearly announce that it is provisional. It is not available merely because the original may be in a penalty area.
The purpose is to save the walk back under stroke-and-distance relief if the original cannot be found or is out of bounds.
When it is allowed
- The original ball may be out of bounds.
- The original may be lost somewhere other than in a penalty area.
- It is not known or virtually certain that the ball is in a penalty area.
The boundary rule is covered in What does out of bounds mean?.
What you must say
Use the word ‘provisional’ or otherwise make it clear that the second ball is being played provisionally under Rule 18.3. Simply saying ‘I’ll play another’ may not be enough because it can mean you are putting another ball into play under stroke and distance.
Which ball counts?
If the original is found in bounds within the three-minute search time, you must normally continue with it and abandon the provisional. If the original is lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds, the provisional becomes the ball in play with a stroke-and-distance penalty.
The provisional can also become the ball in play if it is played from a spot nearer the hole than where the original is estimated to be.
The essential point
Play a provisional only for possible loss outside a penalty area or possible out of bounds, announce it clearly and understand when it replaces the original ball.
Sources
The following official or specialist sources were used to verify this independently written guide.
- The R&A – official guidance Source used to verify the rules or factual information in this guide.
Is your question still unanswered?
Send it to me, or point out anything unclear. I cannot answer every message immediately, but I review suggestions for future guides.