For any golfer who has stepped up to the tee box and sliced or hooked a drive deep into the rough or towards a hazard, the sinking feeling of a potential lost ball situation is all too familiar. Instead of resigning yourself to an almost guaranteed stroke penalty, there is a strategic option available – hitting a provisional shot. Provisionals provide players with a second chance to keep a good score going by immediately putting another ball into play before spending time searching for the original. From weekend warriors to touring professionals, utilizing provisional shots in the right circumstances can prove to be a smart and calculated way to avoid compounding mistakes and big numbers on the card.
Why Would You Hit a Provisional Shot?
A provisional shot in golf is a shot taken by the player who has reason to believe that their original shot may be lost or out of bounds. The main purpose of hitting a provisional shot is to save time and avoid having to return to the spot of the previous shot to hit another ball if the original shot truly cannot be found or is out of bounds.
When you hit a tee shot and suspect it may have gone into deep rough, woods, or a hazard area, it often makes sense to hit a provisional shot before going to search for the original ball. That way, if the first ball truly is lost, you avoid having to go all the way back to the tee box to re-tee after an unsuccessful search. A provisional shot essentially gives you a “second chance” to keep a good score on that hole.
Playing a provisional shot can provide peace of mind as well. Rather than stress over whether you’ll be able to find your tee shot, you can go ahead and hit a provisional, then have the luxury of taking your time to thoroughly search for the original ball. Even if you do end up finding your first shot, you are not really worse off for having taken a provisional shot “just in case.”
When Should You Play a Provisional Shot?
The most common scenario to play a provisional shot is after a tee shot on a par 4 or par 5 hole when you think your ball may be lost or out of bounds. If your drive ends up slicing or hooking hard into deep rough, trees, or over a fence line, it’s a wise decision to re-tee and hit a provisional right away before searching.
You may also want to hit a provisional on second shots from the fairway if you have a reasonable concern your ball could be embedded in a tough lie or end up in a hazard. Hitting provisionals on blind shots or over water hazards can save you from having to re-hit from the original spot.
Even on shorter par 3 holes, playing a provisional can be smart if the green is hard to see from the tee box due to elevation changes or obstructed views. It’s better to go ahead and re-tee than having to backtrack if your original tee shot comes up missing.
The general rule of thumb is to default to hitting a provisional anytime you have a gut feeling your ball may be unplayable or lost, rather than delaying the decision. The small amount of time re-hitting costs is well worth the headache it saves you later in the round.
How Do You Properly Hit a Provisional Shot?
Before hitting a provisional shot, you must first announce clearly to your playing partners or marker that you are going to hit a provisional ball. Use those exact words “I am going to hit a provisional ball” so there is no confusion.
You are allowed a reasonable time to search for your original ball before hitting the provisional, usually around 3 minutes. But you don’t have to take the full search time if you’re confident the first ball is lost or out of bounds.
When hitting the provisional, it must be re-teed and played from the same spot that you hit your original shot. So if it was your tee shot, re-tee in the same spot. If it’s a provisional for your second shot, hit it from the same place in the fairway.
The provisional ball is played under the same Rules as the original ball. So you must use the same procedures regarding water hazards, bunkers, out of bounds, etc. Treat the provisional as if it were your first ball from that spot.
It’s a good idea to use a different brand or numbered ball as your provisional, so that it can’t be confused with your original ball if both end up in play. Clearly announce which ball is “provisional” if both are found.
If you do hit a provisional and then cannot find your first ball after 3 minutes, the provisional becomes your ball in play under stroke and distance. If the original is found, you must continue with that ball under penalty of stroke and distance.
What Are the Rules Around Provisional Shots?
The USGA Rules of Golf have specific guidance on when and how provisional balls can be played. Rule 18.3 covers all the protocols for provisional balls.
In order to play a provisional ball, you must have a reasonable basis to believe that your original ball may be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds. This could be based on knowledge of the course, the lie you had, the shot you hit, etc. Pure speculation is not enough.
You must announce to your playing partners or marker that you intend to play a provisional ball before actually hitting it. Use those exact words “I am going to hit a provisional ball.”
The provisional ball must be put into play immediately and before searching for the original ball. You cannot search first and then decide to hit a provisional later.
The provisional must be played from the same spot that the previous stroke was made. So for a provisional tee shot, you hit from the teeing area. For a second shot provisional, it’s played from the original spot in the fairway.
If the original ball is lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds, the provisional becomes the ball in play under stroke and distance. If the original is found in bounds, you must continue play with that ball and the provisional is disregarded.
Failure to properly announce the provisional shot, or hitting it from an incorrect spot, could lead to penalties. Following the USGA rules carefully is important when playing a provisional.
Can a Provisional Shot Save You Strokes?
If you hit a shot that could potentially be lost or out of bounds, and you don’t take the option to hit a provisional ball right away, you’ll have to go search for your original ball first. If it ends up being lost or OB after a long search, you’ll then have to trudge all the way back to re-hit from the original spot under stroke and distance penalty. That could mean losing 1-2 strokes right there.
However, if you use your best judgment and go ahead and hit a provisional shot before searching, you avoid that potential walk back to the original spot. Your provisional becomes your ball in play if the first one is lost, allowing you to simply continue from where the provisional landed.
Even if you do end up finding your first ball and it’s in bounds, you aren’t any worse off for having taken a few seconds to re-tee and hit the provisional “just in case.” You just pick up the provisional and continue putting with the original ball.
So in a situation where your ball truly ends up being lost or OB, playing a provisional can easily save you 1-2 stroke penalties that you’d otherwise incur from having to re-hit after an unsuccessful search. Over the course of a round, those stroke savings really add up.
Hitting a provisional won’t always pay off, but using good course strategy to play one when appropriate can definitely prevent big numbers and low your scores in the long run.
Do Pros Use Provisional Shots Often?
Yes, professional golfers frequently take advantage of hitting provisional shots during tournament rounds. Here’s a look at how and why pros utilize provisional balls:
At the elite level, every stroke is precious when competing for millions of dollars in prize money. The pros understand the great value in avoiding potential penalty strokes whenever possible. That’s why you’ll routinely see them hit provisional shots when there’s any doubt about the location or playability of their original ball.
On tight driving holes where missing the fairway means the ball could be blocked out or lost, tour pros will almost always hit a provisional tee shot after a mishit drive. They know spending a couple minutes to quickly re-tee can prevent having to go back and re-hit after an unsuccessful search later.
Tour caddies play a key role in the provisional process as well. They’ll immediately recommend the player hit a provisional on any questionable or trouble shots. TheirJob is to use forecaddie knowledge to map optimal strategies that avoid throwing away strokes.
You’ll also see the frequent use of “crowd provisionals” on the pro tours. If a tee shot appears to be heading towards the gallery ropes, players will hit a provisional right away before the original ball is even found or ruled OB. Time is too valuable to waste searching unnecessarily.
While recreational golfers may be hesitant to hit multiple balls from one spot, the pros have no such reservations. For them, taking the tiny bit of extra time to hit a provisional can tremendously outweigh the potential downside of penalty strokes or lost balls. It’s simply smart professional strategy.
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