Rules question · Rule 18.3c · Expert
Provisional ball goes in the hole: what is my score?
On a par 3, your tee shot might be lost. Your provisional ball goes straight into the hole. You do not want to search, but another player looks for your original ball. You lift the provisional ball out of the hole before they find anything. What is your score?
Answer
Three
Lifting the ball out of the hole counts as a stroke with the provisional ball from nearer the hole. If the original ball has not been found by then, the provisional ball becomes the ball in play: tee shot, penalty stroke, holed, so three. If the other player finds your original ball first, you must continue with it.
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