The R&A (2024)

(1) Playing Provisional Ball More Than Once. 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 a spot that is the same distance or farther from the hole than where the original ball is estimated to be.This is true even if the provisional ball is played several times.But it stops being a provisional ball when it becomes the ball in play under (2) or is abandoned under (3) and therefore becomes a wrong ball.(2) When Provisional Ball Becomes Ball in Play. The provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance in either of these two cases:

• When Original Ball Is Lost Anywhere on Course Except in Penalty Area or Is Out of Bounds. The original ball is no longer in play (even if it is then found on the course after the end of the three-minute search time) and is now a wrong ball that must not be played (see Rule 6.3c).
• When Provisional Ball Is Played from Spot Nearer Hole Than Where Original Ball Is Estimated to Be. The original ball is no longer in play (even if it is then found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time or is found nearer the hole than had been estimated) and is now a wrong ball that must not be played (see Rule 6.3c).

If the player plays a provisional ball into the same general location as the original ball and is unable to identify which ball is which:

• If only one of the balls is found on the course, that ball is treated as the provisional ball which is now in play.
• If both balls are found on the course, the player must choose one of the balls to be treated as the provisional ball which is now in play, and the other ball is treated as the original ball, which is no longer in play, and must not be played.

Exception – Player May Substitute Another Ball Under Other Rule When It Is Known or Virtually Certain What Happened to Ball: The player has an extra option when their ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certain that the ball:

• Came to rest on the course and was moved by an outside influence (see Rule 9.6),
• Came to rest on the course in or on a movable obstruction (see Rule 15.2b) or an abnormal course condition (see Rule 16.1e), or
• Was deliberately deflected or stopped by any person (see Rule 11.2c).

When one of those Rules applies, the player may either:

• Substitute another ball as allowed under that Rule, or
• Treat the provisional ball as the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance.

(3) When Provisional Ball Must Be Abandoned. When a provisional ball has not yet become the ball in play, it must be abandoned in either of these two cases:

• When Original Ball Is Found on Course Outside Penalty Area Before the End of the Three Minute Search Time. The player must play the original ball as it lies.
• When Original Ball Is Found in Penalty Area or Is Known or Virtually Certain to Be in Penalty Area. The player must either play the original ball as it lies or take penalty relief under Rule 17.1d.

In either case:

• The player must not make any more strokes with the provisional ball which is now a wrong ball (see Rule 6.3c), and
• All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count.

A player may ask others not to search for the original ball when the player would prefer to continue play with the provisional ball, but there is no obligation for them to comply.If the provisional ball has not become the ball in play and a ball is found that might be the original ball, the player must make all reasonable efforts to identify that ball. If the player fails to do so, the Committee may disqualify the player under Rule 1.2a if it decides that this was serious misconduct contrary to the spirit of the game.