The Correct Procedure for Playing a Provisional Ball!

You must clearly announce that you are hitting a provisional ball.  "That might be lost. I'm going to re-load," doesn't cut it.  Your statement must include the words "provisional ball."  If it doesn't, you've just played three from the tee. If your provisional ball doesn't reach the area where you are going to search for your original, you may continue playing the provisional until you reach the area of the original ball. You are not obligated to search for the original ball.  If it appears to be in the jungle and you'd rather not find it and/or you've hit a great shot with the provisional , you can choose not to go looking.  Once you play your next stroke with the provisional, the original ball is technically "lost," even if it found.  But a fellow competitor or your match-play opponent has every right to look for your ball if he wishes.  If your original ball is found within five minutes and before you've played another stroke with the provisional, you are obligated to identify it and play it. If there is reasonable evidence that the original is in a water hazard, the provisional ball doesn't count and you must proceed under the water-hazard Rule. If the original is found and you declare it unplayable, the provisional ball must be abandoned.  You must proceed under the unplayable-ball Rule, even if that means going back to the point of your previous stroke.