Stupid Golf Question
What is a provisional ball?
You might be lost or out of bounds and do not want the walk of shame back to the tee
Plain answer first
The plain answer
A provisional ball is a second ball you play right away when your first ball might be lost or out of bounds.
The NPG answer
It is golf letting you avoid the dramatic walk back while everyone watches from the fairway.
When it matters
It matters when you are not sure whether the original ball is playable, lost, or out of bounds.
What to do next
Say clearly that you are hitting a provisional, then play the second ball before going forward to search.
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