rules
KNOW your
RULES
The latest in our series of situations encountered by everyday golfers, and what the correct procedures are
It all sounds simple enough, but as we see below from a controversial incident at the Asian Tour's Maekyung Open, it isn't always as easy as it seems.
We're talking the playing of a provisional ball. If you hit your ball out of bounds or lose it (you have three minutes to search for your ball before it becomes lost), your only option is to go back to the spot of your previous stroke to play.
If you think that your ball might be out bounds or that you might not find it, you can play a provisional ball to save time. You must announce that you are playing a provisional ball before doing so. If you are then unable to find your original ball, or you find it out of bounds, your provisional ball is your ball in play under stroke and distance, and you don't have to take the time to walk all the way back to the spot of your previous stroke. If you find your original ball, you play it and pick up the provisional. Easy to understand!
THE INCIDENT
At the Maekyung Open, Inhoi Hur hit a tee shot in the third round that he thought was dangerously close to out of bounds, so he played a provisional ball. Confusion followed when a spotter picked up the original ball, thinking it was out of bounds (but wasn't) and handed it to his playing partner's caddie. Officials wrongly allowed Hur to continue with the provisional ball without taking a penalty. After reviewing the incident a day later, officials agreed they wrongly allowed him to play a provisional ball without penalty instead of the original ball. Officials said 24 hours later that his third-round score was being altered to include the first tee shot and the ensuing one-shot penalty for being out of bounds. Opinion was split. Some players said he essentially got a mulligan, one player said he should have been disqualified.
THE RULE
RULE 18
Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out Of Bounds, Provisional Ball
RULE 18.3
Provisional Ball (18.3a, 18.3b, 18.3b)
Under R&A's Rule 18.3, a player is allowed to play a provisional ball when there is a possibility the original ball may be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds. The purpose is to save time by avoiding the need to return and replay the shot if the original cannot be found.
Before playing the provisional ball, the player must clearly announce that it is a provisional. Simply saying 'I'll play another one' is not enough.
If the original ball is found on the course within the search time, the player must continue with that original ball and abandon the provisional.
The player may continue to play the provisional ball without it losing its status as a provisional ball so long as it is played from the same distance or farther from the hole than where the original ball is estimated to be. The provisional ball officially becomes the player’s ball in play (under penalty of stroke and distance) if the original is not found within the three-minute search time (even if it is subsequently found on the course); the original is discovered to be out of bounds; or the provisional ball is played from a spot nearer the hole than where the original is likely to be (even if it is then found on the course within the time limit).
NOTE: This is a 'layperson's' guide to the rules. Players are advised to read the full R&A rules HERE.
WIN!
Stand a chance to win a COBRA Golf bag. Simply select the correct answer to this question and you'll go into the draw for this fantastic giveaway.
Question:
The balls of A and B lie in the same bunker, with B's farther from the hole. Player B plays his ball and in doing so creates some footprints close to Player A's ball. Before play, Player A smooths the bunker in order to restore the condition to its original state.
What is the ruling?
a) There is no penalty to either player.
b) Player A gets the general penalty (2 strokes strokes penalty, loss of hole in match play)
c) Player B gets the general penalty (2 strokes strokes penalty, loss of hole in match play)
Closing date:
28 June 2026
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Rules competition with cobra/puma golf
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Question:
Before playing a shot from the fairway, a player decides to use a different club and returns to their bag. A gust of wind then causes the player's ball to roll down a slope several feet from its original position.
What is the ruling?
a) The player gets one stroke penalty and must replace the ball.
b) There is no penalty and the ball must be played from its new position.
c) There is no penalty and the player must replace the ball.
To feature in the mag, simply email us an interesting tale involving a rule at your club that is worth discussing, and we’ll make it happen. Get in touch with us at contact@thegolfmag.co.za
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