Golf Rules: Carrying Extra Balls in Your Pocket - Official Answer

Question
is there any rule in golf which stipulates that you may not carry a second ball in your pocket on the tee as opposed to your bag?
Simply if you need to play a provisional ball off the tee  it may save time as opposed to having maybe having to walk back to your bag if it has been left some distance away from the tee?

Answer
Jim:  You may carry as many balls as you like in your pocket(s); there is no rule prohibiting it.  To simplify matters, I would not carry balls with the same number in case the provisional is hit in the same direction as the original.  Also, I would take care when marking your ball on the putting green; if you carry more than one in the same pocket, it's easy to mix them up during the play of a hole; and that would incur a penalty for playing the wrong ball

Thanks for the question,

Fairways and Greens,

John
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