Lost and provisional ball - ruling query

[Smallville]

What about other places on the course? Let's say I have a 3 foot putt and I miss it big time and the roll takes it off the green into a bunker. Could I then drop another ball in the same spot and putt again, taking stroke and distance?

We have already answered this on the forum and all have agreed that we have come up with the correct answer. However, I did email the USGA the same question and I got their response today:

Rules question
To: rules@usga.org<rules@usga.org>;

We have another rules question on our forum.

Someone has a 3 foot putt, which they miss and it rolls off the green into a bunker. The question is, Could I then drop another ball in the same spot and putt again, taking stroke and distance?

The response I got confirmed what we already decided was correct, but per the email, I cannot post the response here, as this is expressly stated in the email:

This response is for your personal information and may not be posted or disclosed by email or internet posting.

I'm not sure why they don't want it posted, but anyone can write the USGA and get the same response I did.

 

[SharkHat]

Interesting! Thanks for the followup Smalls!

 

[Kobey]

Thanks for taking the time to do that Smalls.

 

[Smallville]

Thanks for taking the time to do that Smalls.

I forgot they don't want you to post the contents of the email. That sucks.

 

[Kobey]

That's strange. I wonder if it is to keep them from being bound by that decision if it was posted somewhere?