While working a stroke play tournament this summer I was called over by a player to make a ruling. At a par – 4 hole, Player A hit his second shot into a dense thicket behind the green. Since the ball may be lost, Player A announced that he was going to hit a provisional ball. The provisional ball came to rest near the hole. One of his fellow competitiors went forward to search for Player A’s original ball. Player A decided that he was not going forth to search for his original ball and approched his provisional ball.
As he is nearing his provisional ball, his fellow competitor tells him he believes that he has found his original ball and that he needed to come over and identify the ball as his original ball. Player A refused and said he was going to play his provisional ball.
The fellow competitor spotted me and called me over. He explained what had happened. I went over to Player A and explained to him that one of his fellow competitors may have found the original ball and that he needed to identify the ball. The player steadfastly refused to do so saying ” I have no intention of searching for or identifying such a lousy shot” and that he was going to play his provisional ball.
I then explained to Player A that under Rule 27 Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Provisional Ball, that he must inspect the ball that had been found and, if it was his original ball, he must continue play with it or proceed under Rule 28 Ball Unplayable. I also explained that if he refused to comply with my ruling I would be justified in imposing a penalty of disqualification for his refusal to comply with a Rule.
Needless to say, he did not want to be disqualified and so he identified the ball as his and proceeded under Rule 28 Ball Unplayable.
If you have any questions, comments or you seek information on any of the Rules of Golf please contact me at Mike Fay Golf.
Frank Guastella, PGA Rules Official Michigan Section PGA
This is the next in the Playing By The Rules Video Series. Mike and Frank discuss the proper way of using a provisional ball. We discuss what the rule states and how to go about it properly, because it matters to your score!
Announcing your intentions to hit a provisional ball is so important because if you don’t that next ball you do hit becomes the ball in play. This leaves you no chance to find the original ball.
If you have questions on the Rules of Golf or comments on this video please leave them below. As always, here is hope that you are Playing By The Rules!
Losing a golf ball in the leaves can be frustrating and it is that time of the year when the leaves are falling and it can become difficult for you to find your golf ball due to the accumulation of leaves. The Committee may make a temporary Local Rule declaring accumulations of leaves through the green at certain holes to be ground under repair and Rule 25-1 (Abnormal Ground Conditions) will apply and the player would get swing relief and one club length no nearer the hole.
The Local Rule should be restricted to the hole(s) at which the trouble with leaves occurs and it should be withdrawn as soon as conditions permit. Particular attention should be paid to the opening paragraph of Rule 25-1c; unless, it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in the leaves, it must be treated as lost elsewhere and Rule 27-1 (Ball Lost) applies and this becomes a stroke and distance penalty.
Mike and Frank show you the difference between Water Hazards and Lateral Water Hazards. This is the first in a series of videos based on the popular blog Playing By The Rules with PGA Rules Official Frank Guastella on www.mikefaygolf.com. Our goal through this video series is to explain the rules in a way you can understand them with a bit of fun! If you would like to see Frank’s collection of Playing By The Rules articles go to this link. Click Here.
