When is a Ball Lost? by Dave Thomson RULE 27. Ball Lost Or Out Of Bounds; Provisional Ball defines when a ball is lost as: It is not found or identified as his by the player within five minutes after the player's side or his or their caddies have begun to search for it or The player has put another ball into play under the Rules, even though he may not have searched for the original ball or The player has played any stroke with a provisional ball from the place where the likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than that place, whereupon the provisional ball becomes the ball in play. It is important to note that the Rule 27 or any other Rules does not require you to look for your ball. If you think your ball may be lost after you play your stroke you may just drop another ball and play away. The original ball immediately becomes the ball in play. Why would anyone do this? Consider the following: John is playing Bill on John's home course. John's tee shot from the #3 tee slices into the woods. John, having been there many times before, knows that he will most likely find his ball but will have no shot what so ever and it may take him several more strokes to extract himself from the woods or he will have to go back to the tee box and play a ball under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 28, Unplayable). So, he just put another ball in play immediately from the tee box and it becomes the ball in play. One very important part of Rule 27 is the "provisional" ball. Under Rule 27-2, Provisional Ball, the procedure is: "If a ball may be lost outside a water hazard or maybe be out of bounds, to save time the player may play another ball provisionally as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was played (See Rule 20-5). The play shall inform his opponent in match play or his marker or fellow competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball, and he shall play it before he or his partner goes forward to search for the original ball. If he fails do so and play another ball, such ball is no a provisional ball and becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance. The original ball is deemed to be lost." Please note that if the ball may be lost in a water hazard you are NOT ALLOWED to play a provisional ball and if you do, that ball is now the ball in play. However, there must be "reasonable evidence" that the ball is indeed lost in a water hazard. "Reasonable Evidence" will be the topic of future Rules Of Golf column. Rules 27-2 means that if you play a stroke and think that the ball could be lost, you have to announce, "I will play a provisional ball". If you simply say, "Guess I will reload." or "I'll hit another." is not the same as thing and that ball is now in play. Dave is a 3-5 handicapper and a former four time senior champion at Southern Oaks Golf Course, Easley, SC. He is also the current senior champion at Boscobel Golf Club, Pendleton, SC. Dave is a member of the SCGA (South Carolina GolfAssociation) Slope Committee, which rates golf courses to determine their official USGA Slope and Rating. [Home] [Opinion] [Equipment] [Links LS] [Golf Tips] [Rules of Golf] [Monthly Joke]