Hello Everyone!
Recently a question was posed to me regarding provisional throws and the rules associated with them.I thought it deserved a dedicated post to ensure we are all on the same page and ...
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Hello Everyone!
Recently a question was posed to me regarding provisional throws and the rules associated with them.I thought it deserved a dedicated post to ensure we are all on the same page and prevent any confusion.
Here is a link to the official language in the PDGA rule book:
https://www.pdga.com/rules/official-rules-disc-golf/80902
Provisional throws are meant to be used to save the card time when the resulting lie of a thrown disc cannot be determined from the vantage of the previous lie, and there is a reasonable possibility that the lie in question is out of bounds, lost, or would otherwise result in the player re-teeing with a penalty stroke from their previous lie.
Please only use provisional throws in league play when they are warranted, and when they are warranted, do not be afraid to use them!
Before taking a provisional throw, the throwing player must announce to their group that they are taking a provisional throw, and the conditions for which the lie of the provisional throw will be used.
If it is decided that the lie of the provisional throw will be the player's official lie, that lie is scored as a re-tee from the previous lie, and will score the appropriate penalty strokes. Generally 1 stroke for the first throw, +1 stroke for OB or lost disc, and the stroke for the re tee from previous lie. If the lie of the provisional throw is not used, it accrues no penalty strokes to the throwing player, and the player continues the hole from their original throw.
Practical Example: Player A is throwing off the tee on a hole that has very tall grass on either side of it, the drive itself lands somewhere deep in the tall grass.
Knowing the tall grass can be tough to navigate, Player A announces to the card "I'm going to take a provisional throw in case we can't find my disc" Player A then takes their provisional throw and lands in the middle of the fairway.
There are two possible outcomes in this scenario.
#1: The disc is found. in which case it is not lost and will be used as the players lie. Player A will then be throwing their 2nd stroke on the hole from this lie. There is no penalty stroke for the provisional throw, the disc used for the provisional throw is picked up and the lie of the provisional throw is unused.
#2: The disc is not found. In which case, it is declared a lost disc, and Player A will then use the provisional throw as their lie. Player A will be throwing their 4th stroke on the hole from this lie. 1 stroke for the first shot, +1 penalty stroke for a lost disc, +1 stroke for the provisional that is now their official lie.
If you have any questions regarding this ruling or any other rules, please do not hesitate to ask!
Joshua Siwek
Jun 24, 2020
