Provisional Ball - Part I

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (November 28, 2012)  As you may know at some tournaments you will see local rules that define native areas and or un kept portions of a golf course as a "lateral hazard" in an attempt to speed up play.  While there are many situations where that needs to be done, it's my position that if  those hazards aren't part of the golf course design then those areas are integral parts of that golf course and you should play the golf course the way it was designed.


So how can we play the course as it's designed without taking all day to finish a round?

Rule 27-2. Provisional Ball - One thing that can definitely speed up play is to correctly use the provisional ball procedure.

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.

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.

But always remembers if you find your ball outside a hazard or in bounds after playing a provisional you don't have a choice, the original ball must be played and you've abandoned the provisional.

Take some time to look at some of the Decisions under 27/1, they'll help you save strokes and time.

Next Up - Dallas Tour resumes play at the Grand Prairie Classic on February 18, 2012.  Hill Country Tour tees it up at the Winter Classic at Hyatt Hill Country on December 3rd.  Oklahoma Tour is off until 2012 at the ST. Patty's Day @ KickingBird event.  The first Major of the 2012 points year (another sell out) will be held at the Innisbrook Resort for the Winter Championship.  

For more information:


Scott R Chilcutt
Tour DirectorDallas / Fort Worth - Hill Country - Oklahoma
Golf Channel Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.201.9478schilcutt@gcamtour.com
www.gcamtour.com

Visit the Tour Blogs:

Dallas - gcatdallas.blogspot.com - Hill Country - gcatsanantonio.blogspot.com

Oklahoma - gcatoklahoma.blogspot.com