"If the player's golf ball was picked up in play, it is back in play as soon as it is dropped or put down.
A ball that replaces another ball becomes a ball in play as soon as it is dropped or put down.
(Incorrect replacement of a ball - see Law 15-2.)
(To pick up a ball that has not been correctly replaced, dropped or put down - see Law 20-6)"².
To avoid a dropped ball automatically becoming a golf ball in play, it makes sense in many situations to announce the dropped or dropped golf ball as a provisional ball beforehand. According to the rules of golf, this only becomes the ball in play if the original ball is not found within 5 minutes.
Status: 2018