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Provisional Ball Question

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elementz

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I am sure everyone marks their balls a certain way....To save time I will typically open up a new sleeve and put my markings on each ball. However, when hitting a provisional, what is the etiquette to playing your next ball...
Do you fire away with a ball that has the same markings? If so, how do you properly identify which was the first ball vs your provisional ball if they land in the same area? By the ball number but sometimes you are playing the same number if it is out of the same sleeve? Do you add an extra marking before you hit your provisional ball? Do you hit another branded ball? Is the latter even allowed in competition?
 
Unless same ball rule is in place then you can hit a different brand.

The important thing is to say you are hitting a provisional. I don't open sleeves at the course as I have about 8 balls in the front pocket. I pick 2 different numbers at the start of my round and say I am hitting a Callaway 2 the other one was a Callaway 4. Something like that. I have seen others run to their cart and add an extra line or dot with the Sharpie as well.
 
In tournaments, I personally keep the "2" balls specifically for provisional. any other number for first shot, when I need to hit a provisional it will be marked as normal but the number on the ball will be "2". for me an easy, elegant solution that has served me well.
 
Let’s hope your provisional isn’t close to the first 🤣
 
I play the same type of ball: Srixon Q-Star Tour. Original ball I play white. Provisional ball: Divide. :)
 
I always ensure the provisional is somehow uniquely identifiable.
 
I have 3 Sharpies in my golf bag - black, blue and red. I put the same mark on all my golf balls, but randomly do it in different colors. I always carry 2 - the one in play plus a spare in my pocket, and I usually make sure the marks are different colors on them. But most of all, if I have to hit a provisional in the first place, I don't want my second shot to be anywhere near where the first one went!
 
I mark all my balls with a custom stencil. In a tournament, if I hit a provisional, I pull out my mini-sharpie and put an additional mark on the ball. I'm not taking a chance on not being able to identify the ball. Because I custom mark my balls, I don't pay attention to what number ball I'm playing. So adding another mark on the provisional is necessary.
 
I screwed the pooch and couldn't 100% verify which was which in a tourney a long time ago. The found ball had my unique marking and I believed it to be my 1st shot off that tee because of a scuff but I didn't mark the provisional any differently so I couldn't be certain. Ever since I pocket a ball with a "P" around the number in events like that incase I might need a provisional. The rare times I have needed one the balls have never been close to the same place like they were that time years ago.
 
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Related public service announcement - if you play with others, and you play a common/popular ball that others may also play, MARK YOUR BALLS so they're recognizable. There's a less than zero chance that somebody else might be playing a Chrome Soft TT #2, but there's virtually no chance they're playing a Chrome Soft TT #2 with your first initial in sharpie in the center of the logo.
 
I’ll have a couple yellow balls in the same brand for provisionals
 
In my experience most guys hit a different ball in some way, whether it be number, marking or kind of ball

Can be anything but it should be different in some way
 
My normal mark is a circle around the number. If I happen to grab a new sleeve where I might hit the same ball as a provisional I always put a dot next to the number on the 2nd one. Years ago I did have a question on which ball was which - don't remember the specifics but it stuck with me to make sure I know the difference when I'm in a tournament. A fun round I wouldn't care as much.
 
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