Golf Rules: Provisional Ball & Tee Shot in the Woods - Clarification

Question
hi eddie

i have the same question as yvonne did - but with a situation that occurred with that sam situation

player A hits his tee shot deep into the woods
he knows that it will take him at least 2-3 shots to even get out of the woods

therefore, he decides to hit another ball off the tee, being careful not to say he is htting a "provisional"

therefore, the ball he is hitting (once a stroke has been made off the teeing ground or dropped through the green) is now the ball in play - he then proceeds to hit a big drive down the middle

as he prepares to hit his 4th shot, a spectator finds his ball in the woods!!!

the official on site (this was at our state high school tournament) said that A must play the original ball - it is his responsibility that once someone has found a ball that might be his, player A has the responsibility to identify the ball

i believe this is wrong, and contrary to Decisions 27/9, 27/16, and 27-2a/1

you can not declare a ball lost - but you can deem it lost by keeping your mouth shut

our state athletic association sides with the official - they state that by doing what player A is trying to do, he is "cheating" the true definition of what a lost ball is - that a player is bound to try and look for a potential lost ball

this is a situation where it becomes a problem

what do you think the USGA would say???


lee


Answer
Hi Lee:

Good point, I agree with you.  If the player hit another ball off the tee and did not say anything.....example "this is a provisional ball", then you are correct.  He has deemed his first ball lost and the second ball becomes the ball in play (hitting 3 from the tee).  Therefore, the first ball is irrelevant.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member