Play a provisional — — it saves the walk back
A provisional ball is played under stroke and distance when your first ball might be lost or OB. Declare it before you hit — otherwise the second ball becomes the ball in play.
What is a provisional ball?
A provisional ball is a second ball you play under penalty of stroke and distance when your first ball might be lost or out of bounds — so you don't have to walk back (Rule 18.3).
It's the single biggest pace-of-play rule in golf. Hit one, say "provisional" before you play it, and you've saved yourself the trip back to the tee or the fairway if the first ball is gone.
The one mistake that costs you
You must declare it BEFORE you play it
If you hit a second ball without saying "provisional," the second ball becomes your ball in play automatically and the first is out of play — even if you find it. A clear "That might be gone, I'm playing a provisional" is all it takes.
When the provisional is abandoned
If you find the original ball in bounds within the 3-minute search window, the provisional is abandoned — pick it up, no penalty for having hit it, and play the original.
| Outcome | What happens |
|---|---|
| Original found in bounds | Abandon provisional, play original |
| Original lost / OB | Provisional becomes ball in play (counts +1 penalty) |
| Provisional also hit OB/lost | Keep playing provisionals until one stays in play |
Provisional vs penalty area
You don't play a provisional for a ball you think is in a penalty area — that's a different relief path (drop, one stroke). Provisionals are specifically for balls lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds.
Related rules
Provisional balls connect to out of bounds and the search limit. For the whole system, grab the free cheat sheet or Save Strokes.
Get Save Strokes → Free cheat sheet