Lost Ball Protocol — What to Do

Do

• Announce a provisional ball before searching if the ball might be OB or lost
• Search for 3 minutes maximum
• If found in bounds and playable, play the original ball (abandon provisional)
• If not found in 3 minutes: count a penalty stroke and play the provisional from where you hit it
• If no provisional was hit: return to original spot, add 1-stroke penalty, replay — or use the new local rule for stroke-and-distance alternative

Don't

• Don't search more than 3 minutes — the rules changed in 2019
• Don't hold up the group searching every bush — make a quick effort
• Don't play a ball found that might not be yours without identifying it

Beginner-safe script

“I'm going to hit a provisional just in case. [Hit ball.] If I find it, I'll play the original.”

Why it matters

The provisional ball procedure is the single biggest pace-of-play tool in golf. Use it every time there's doubt.