Dont know provisional ball from original ball

Question
QUESTION: A player hits his ball and thinks it might be lost so plays a provisional which goes in a similar direction.  When we arrive to search we find both balls. The problem is that both balls have the same number and are marked the same so the player does not know which is her first ball. What is the rule for this situation and how does she proceed.

ANSWER: Hi Cindy:

Interesting question Cindy.  Here is what I will tell you for sure, however, the best thing you could do is to email or call the USGA this question.  If you cannot identify your ball (for whatever reason), then you have a lost ball.  There are no questions.  If you cannot positively identify your golf ball, then it is a lost ball and you must proceed under the lost ball rule.  In this particular case, you would have to go back to where you last played the shot from and add a penalty stroke.  For example, if it was your tee shot, you would have to go back to the tee, and you'd be hitting your third shot off the tee.  It is a huge issue of being able to identify your golf ball.  If you ever are in a situation where you have to hit a provisional ball, you must put a different mark on it for this exact reason.  Otherwise, suspicion of cheating could occur as well, and that is something no one ever wants to be tagged with.  My answer to your question right now is, if you cannot positively identify that it is your first ball, then you must proceed under the lost ball ruling.  The example that happened to me was I hit a shot that was going just left of the green.  I saw the ball hit into a palm tree just left of the green.  I never saw the ball come out or hit the ground.  When we got up there, I could not find my ball anywhere on the ground.  I looked up and saw the ball sitting or wedged in the tree.  The problem was, from that high up, I could not see my markings on the ball to positively identify that it was my ball.  I either had to climb the tree (no way) or go back to the tee and take a penalty stroke (which I did).  Please email the USGA for exact clarification though.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We realize that you are saying that it is a lost ball but we have both balls but do not know which one to use.  It seems that we might have to take more than one penalty stroke since we have hit two balls.  Two Strokes plus two penalty strokes makes since when you add it all up.  As you suggested I will ask the USGA since this is an unusual situation.  Thanks for you help.

Answer
Hey Cindy:

I don't think so.  I get your point, but it would seem to me to just be a lost ball.  Again, if you cannot identify it, then it is a lost ball.  If one of those balls was hit as a provisional and you honestly cannot tell which is which, then I think it is just a lost ball penalty.  I don't think you would get two shots on two balls.  But I am not a Rules expert.  I would certainly ask the USGA for their ruling.  

Eddie