There’s only one thing worse than a shot over water. You’ve guessed it. It’s a blind shot over water. I don’t know what sadist thought that was a good architectural idea but not only is it a heinous assault on the meagre skills of the average golfer it also brings with it some minor Rules of Golf complexities.
So what happens if you’ve hit your ball towards a penalty area and you’re not quite sure where it’s ended up? Can you hit a provisional ball, or is it stroke-and-distance if you play another shot?
Provisional ball in penalty areas
Rule 18.3a says if your ball might be lost outside of a penalty area then – to save time – you can play a provisional ball.
If you are aware, though, that the only possible place your ball could be lost is in a penalty area then a provisional ball is not allowed.
If you’ve already hit one, then that becomes your ball in play under penalty of stroke-and-distance.
Short and sweet, right?
A clarification to Rule 18.3a says when a player is deciding whether they can play a provisional ball or not, “only the information that is known by the player at that time is considered”.
It then states examples where a provisional ball may be played include when “the original ball might be in a penalty area, but it might also be lost outside a penalty area or be out of bounds”.