A provisional ball is a second ball you hit, under the Rules of Golf, when your first shot might be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds. It saves you walking back to replay the shot if the first ball can't be found. You have to tell someone you're playing a provisional before you hit it, and if your original ball turns up in bounds within three minutes, you abandon the provisional and play the original.
What is a provisional ball in golf?
It's covered by Rule 18.3 of the Rules of Golf, written by the USGA and The R&A. The rule exists to save time. Without it, you'd walk 250 yards to search, fail to find your ball, then walk all the way back to the tee to play again under stroke and distance. With a provisional in play, you search, and if the first ball is gone, you just carry on with the second.
When can you hit a provisional ball?
Rule 18.3a lets you play a provisional when your ball might be:
- Lost somewhere outside a penalty area, or
- Out of bounds.
You can't play a provisional just because a ball might be in a penalty area (red or yellow stakes). The rule makes one exception: if the ball might be in a penalty area and might also be lost somewhere else or out of bounds, a provisional is allowed.
What do you have to say?
Before you hit, you must tell someone, such as your playing partner or marker, that you are playing a provisional. Rule 18.3b says it isn't enough to say you're "playing another ball" or "hitting one more." You need to use the word provisional or otherwise make clear that's what it is. If you don't announce it properly, the second ball becomes your ball in play under stroke and distance, and the first ball is out of the hole even if you find it.
When does the provisional become your ball?
Under Rule 18.3c, the provisional becomes your ball in play, with a one-stroke penalty, when:
- The original ball is lost anywhere other than a penalty area, or is out of bounds, or
- You play the provisional from a spot nearer the hole than where the original ball is estimated to be. At that point the original is out of play, even if someone finds it later.
That second point catches a lot of golfers. If you hit your provisional again before reaching the area where your first ball should be, you've given up on the original.
When do you abandon the provisional?
You must stop playing the provisional if your original ball is found on the course outside a penalty area within the three-minute search time. Rule 18.2a says a ball is lost if it isn't found within three minutes after you or your caddie start searching. If the original is found in a penalty area, or it's known or virtually certain to be there, you play it as it lies or take penalty area relief. Either way, any strokes you made with the provisional don't count.
How do you count strokes with a provisional?
Say your tee shot on a par 4 might be out of bounds. You announce and hit a provisional from the tee. If the first ball is out of bounds, your provisional is in play and you're now lying 3 (the first stroke, the penalty stroke, and the provisional stroke). Your next shot is your 4th. If the first ball is found in bounds, you play it and you're lying 1, with no penalty.
Is a provisional the same as a mulligan?
No. A mulligan is a free do-over that the rules don't allow. A provisional is a rules-legal backup ball that costs you a penalty stroke if you end up using it. Casual groups sometimes mix the two up, and it's worth knowing the difference before a club event or anything that counts for your handicap.
Where does the term come from?
"Provisional" just means temporary or arranged for the time being, and that's exactly what the ball is. The provisional ball has been part of the written Rules for generations, but we couldn't confirm the first edition that included it, so we won't guess a date. The current wording, including the requirement to clearly announce a provisional, is from the modernized Rules that took effect in 2019 and the 2023 edition.
Provisional ball FAQ
Do I have to hit the provisional right away?
The key requirement is announcing it before the stroke. The simplest habit is to hit it right after your first shot, before anyone walks forward to look, so you never have to walk back.
Can I hit more than one provisional?
Yes. If your provisional might also be lost or out of bounds, you can announce and play another provisional.
What if I find my first ball after the provisional is in play?
If you had already played the provisional from nearer the hole than the original, or the three minutes had run out, the original is lost and you keep playing the provisional.
Can I play a provisional if my ball went in the water?
Not if a penalty area is the only place it could be. Take penalty area relief instead.
Mark your provisional differently from your first ball so you can tell them apart. You can pick up a box of our GR-X golf balls or browse more in our golf ball collection. For more definitions, see the golf terms glossary.
