Ruling on hitting consecutive shots into OB.

I played in a tournament and this happened to me. Can anyone tell me what the proper ruling is on this? I've played golf for 15 years but have never encountered this, even pros and top amatuers are baffled as well.

I hit my 1st ball into the direction of OB, as I am uncertain I declared to hit a Provisional ball (2nd ball). My 2nd ball also went to the same direction towards OB, therefore I declared another Provisional ball (3rd Ball). Unfortunately, the 3rd ball also went to the same direction towards OB. I declared to play another Provisional (4th Ball) and this time its center of the fairway.

Balls are marked numbers 1-4 respectively to my 1st-4th shot.
I found my 1st ball (marked No.1) but no. 2 and 3 are OB.
Am I allowed to play my 1st ball?

just a thought, and i know i'm not exactly answering your question... if you're playing stableford scoring, the tournament organizers may have a stated a rule to say that if you're more than +3 on the hole, just pick up ur ball and play the next hole

Provision Ball is played when you are not sure whether the previous ball you hit is within play or not. So if your 1st ball is playable, you can forget about the other 3 and continue to hit your 2nd shot with your 1st ball.

my humble 2 cents worth .......

provisional balls are so that if your original ball was OB or not found
than you play your provisional ball.
in this case you have found your original ball, but was the original ball OB?
if not OB then you play the original ball as per normal.
if orignal ball was OB than you play the 4th provision ball (as your
2nd and 3rd provisional balls were OB) and this case add 7 strokes.

rgds

isnt there an 'unofficial' rule that is ur first 2 drive is OB, u use a wood, hybrid or iron to tee off the 3rd

Thanks for the clarification ligermu

So long as your 1st ball is in play all the others are non exsistant regardless of where they are.

You are playing 2nd shot...

shorthitter wrote:

So long as your 1st ball is in play all the others are non exsistant regardless of where they are.

You are playing 2nd shot...

And as Walter Cronkrite would say "That's the way it is"