[Kim Maengnyeong's Golf English Conversation] "Park Minji and the Provisional Ball"

Park Min-ji received a four-stroke penalty for not calling a provisional ball at the MBN Women's Open.

‘Provisional ball’.

‘Domestic No. 1’ Park Min-ji (23·NH Investment & Securities) brought trouble upon herself by not declaring a ‘provisional ball’ on the 6th hole (par 5) during the first day of the Daewoo Winia MBN Ladies Open on the KLPGA Tour on the 13th. After a series of complications, she was penalized with 4 additional strokes, resulting in a total of 10 strokes (quintuple bogey). Since this incident, the term ‘provisional ball’ has been circulating among amateur golfers. It means ‘a ball played provisionally’ in Korean.

A provisional ball is a kind of backup ball played before knowing the result when the original ball is believed to be lost or out of bounds (OB) or in a penalty area. The 2019 revised golf rule (18.3b) states that “the player must clearly declare the intention to play a ‘provisional ball’.”

Before the stroke is made, the player must announce that he or she is going to play a ‘provisional ball’. In English, this is expressed as "I’ll hit a provisional" or "I’m going to play a provisional ball." Simply saying you will play another ball or play again is not sufficient.

If the provisional ball is played but the original ball is found to be in bounds, the player must continue with the original ball. Of course, if the original ball is not found within 3 minutes or confirmed to be OB, the provisional ball becomes the ball in play. If a ball is played without declaring it as provisional, it is considered that the original ball has been abandoned, and the ball played becomes the ball in play while the original ball is immediately ‘ball dead’. The purpose of the provisional ball is to reduce the effort and time wasted returning to the original spot when the original ball cannot be found.

A: Oops! I sliced my tee shot. That may be lost or out of bounds.

B: That’s too bad.

A: When do I play a provisional ball?

B: After your fellow competitor has played his first stroke.

A: All right, I understand. I’m going to play a ‘provisional ball’.

Written by Kim Maeng-nyeong, Golf Columnist