Why not allow a provisional ball in penalty areas if speed of play is an issue? USGA rule 18.3

[lamontman]

If you have a forced carry where you can't be sure whether you went into the penalty area, you must go around the forced carry to determine if you are in or out of the penalty area.  What was the rationale that the USGA used to keep this rule if speed of play is an issue?

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, lamontman said:

 What was the rationale that the USGA used to keep this rule if speed of play is an issue?

You would have to ask the USGA.  But most of the rules that do allow a provisional have stroke and distance as the only option to proceed. 

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

You would have to ask the USGA.  But most of the rules that do allow a provisional have stroke and distance as the only option to proceed. 

This is exactly it, you don't get a choice.  As the rule is, the ball is either in play, or you are required to take stroke and distance relief for OB or lost ball.  With a penalty area, you already have choices for playing the ball as is, stroke and distance,  back on the line, and maybe lateral relief.  So you find the ball in the penalty area, and you can choose between a known result for the provisional (S&D) or the unknown result of another option. Maybe your provisional is great, it is a good option, or maybe your provisional sucked and the other choices look better without even knowing what will happen.  Golf shouldn't give you that choice, you should make the choice without knowing the outcome of any of your options.

Its important to recognize that there are some holes where the only reasonable choice for a ball in the PA is to replay the shot.  The Rules have a Model Local Rule to allow a provisional on those holes.

Edited October 2, 2021 by DaveP043

[GolfRules Questions]

A Committee can adopt Model Local Rule:

B-3 Provisional Ball for Ball in a Penalty Area

in unusual cases, the size, shape or location of a penalty area may be such that:

• The player cannot see whether the ball is in the penalty area,
• It would unreasonably delay play if the player had to go forward to look for the ball before returning to play another ball under penalty of stroke and distance, and
• If the original ball is not found, it would be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the penalty area.

[Denkea]

On 10/1/2021 at 9:47 PM, DaveP043 said:

So you find the ball in the penalty area, and you can choose between a known result for the provisional (S&D) or the unknown result of another option. Maybe your provisional is great, it is a good option

Don't you have to abandon your provisional if you find your original ball in the red penalty area???

[cnosil]

4 hours ago, Denkea said:

Don't you have to abandon your provisional if you find your original ball in the red penalty area???

The original question was about what a provisional isn't an option in a penalty area.  The line you quoted was an example of a potentially unfair advantage if a provisional was allowed for a ball in a penalty area. 

[DaveP043]

11 hours ago, Denkea said:

Don't you have to abandon your provisional if you find your original ball in the red penalty area???

If Model Local Rule B-3 is in effect, allowing a Provisional Ball for a ball that may be in a Penalty Area, if you find the ball you may play it, or play the Provisional, but you may not use any of the other options normally available under Rule 17.  If MLR B-3 isn't in effect, and you hit another shot when your original ball can only be in either the General Area of a Penalty Area, that second shot is automatically your ball in play, even if you find the original in a PA.