Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
A Provisional Ball is another ball played under penalty of stroke and distance when the original ball might be lost outside a Penalty Area or might be Out of Bounds. It saves time, but it must be announced before the stroke and is not automatically the ball in play.
How it matters in match play
In Match Play, a Provisional Ball can avoid walking back if the original is later Lost Ball or Out of Bounds. Announce it before playing. If the original is found in bounds within the Three-Minute Search Time, play the original; if it is lost or out of bounds, the provisional becomes the ball in play with the one-stroke penalty. The resulting Hole Score decides that hole.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Provisional Ball |
| Category | rules |
| Applicable rule | Rule 18.3 |
| Related concepts | Lost Ball, Out of Bounds, Penalty Area, Stroke and Distance, Match Play |
Worked example
Alex's tee shot may be lost beyond the boundary, so he announces a Provisional Ball and plays it 220 metres. If the original is not found within three minutes, the provisional is in play and Alex continues with a one-stroke penalty; if he holes it in four more strokes, his Hole Score is 6.
Rule reference: Rule 18.3
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
When may I play a Provisional Ball?
You may play one when your ball might be lost outside a Penalty Area or might be Out of Bounds. It is not allowed when you know the only possible location of the original is a Penalty Area.
What must I say before playing a Provisional Ball?
Before the stroke, announce that you are playing a provisional ball. Saying only that you are playing another ball or playing again is not enough under Rule 18.3b.
When does a Provisional Ball become the ball in play?
It becomes the ball in play under stroke and distance when the original is Lost Ball outside a Penalty Area or is Out of Bounds, or when the provisional is played from a spot nearer the hole than the estimated location of the original.
What happens if the original ball is found?
If it is found in bounds outside a Penalty Area within the Three-Minute Search Time, you must play the original as it lies and abandon the provisional. If it is found in a Penalty Area, use the original or take relief under Rule 17.1d.
Does a Provisional Ball carry a penalty immediately?
It is played under the stroke-and-distance option, but it does not replace the original unless Rule 18.3c makes it the ball in play. When it becomes the ball in play, the one-stroke penalty applies.
Can I keep playing a Provisional Ball before deciding?
Yes, while it is played from a spot the same distance from or farther from the hole than where the original is estimated to be. Playing it from nearer the hole makes it the ball in play under Rule 18.3c.