A set of yellow stakes or lines indicates a water hazard. These stakes can also indicate what is considered a water hazard but doesn't always have water in it. A golfer is allowed to play their ball from a water hazard, if possible, without grounding their club in the hazard before the stroke.
The red stakes on a golf course indicate a lateral water hazard. A lateral water hazard is different from a normal water hazard for it is lateral or it runs alongside the line of play. Simply put, a normal water hazard runs across the line of play while the lateral water hazard runs adjacent to the line of play.
A white stake is the worst of the stakes. It marks out of bounds, either indicating the property line (which can include a fence) or a part of the property where golf isn't to be played. If you find your ball on the wrong side of a white stake, you're taking what's called a stroke-and-distance penalty.
The red lines on a golf course also indicate a lateral water hazard. It is worth noting that a single body of water hazard could have its side marked differently depending on whether its parts run adjacent or across the line of play.
When stakes are used to designate water hazards, yellow stakes must be employed for standard hazards, while red stakes must be used for lateral water hazards, according to the Rules of Golf.
0:024:52What Are The Red, Yellow and White Stakes Golf Rules? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAreas okay so those three colors represent. Different types of penalty areas which we'll discuss nowMoreAreas okay so those three colors represent. Different types of penalty areas which we'll discuss now the white stakes and markings out on the course denote out of bounds nicknamed ob generally.
When a golfer hits their ball in a yellow-stake water hazard, the golfer has two options to drop the ball, take relief and incur a one-stroke penalty: Drop the ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point where the original shot went in the water hazard between where the golfer drops and the hole.
White stake That means you have to add 1 stroke to your score and rehit the shot you just played from the same spot. If the shot was from the tee, however, a player can go back to the tee box and pick a new spot to tee up and effectively start the hole over again.
The red stakes on a golf course indicate a lateral water hazard. A lateral water hazard is different from a normal water hazard for it is lateral or it runs alongside the line of play. Simply put, a normal water hazard runs across the line of play while the lateral water hazard runs adjacent to the line of play.
White stakes or white lines are used to indicate out-of-bounds. (A course can mark out-of-bounds in other ways, too; for example, a fence might mark the boundary along certain parts of a course.)
You may play it as it lies There is nothing to stop you playing the ball as it lies in a penalty area marked with red stakes in golf if safe (and perhaps wise!) to do so. If you opt to play it, there is no penalty for touching the ground or water with your hand or club.
No matter the choice a golfer makes to take relief from a red-stake lateral water hazard, the golfer can lift and clean their ball out of the hazard (assuming they find it) or can put a new golf ball into play to replace the ball which went in the hazard.
Your ball ends one inch from a white stake. You are not allowed to remove the white stake, since you would thereby improve a “forbidden area.” Your ball ends three feet from a white stake, perpendicular to the course (compared to the direction to the hole).
Yes. A penalty area stake is a movable obstruction and you may move them if you want (see Rule 15.2a). However, while rare, some penalty area stakes cannot be moved (for example, when the course has set the stake into a concrete base).
Unlike red and yellow stakes, white stakes do not represent a hazard, but instead communicate what areas are “out of bounds” for the course you're playing. While some courses choose to make everything red/yellow staked, when you do see white stakes there is a very specific procedure you must follow.
0:491:41Four Options When Hitting Into Red Penalty Area - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo two club lengths no closer to the hole drop anywhere in that area from knee height. And go aheadMoreSo two club lengths no closer to the hole drop anywhere in that area from knee height. And go ahead and hit your ball under a one stroke penalty now your third option is to take a straight line from
The white stakes on a golf course indicate out-of-bounds. That is, beyond the stakes’ nearest inside point is out-of-bounds.
The common colors of stakes and lines you would notice are the whites, yellows and reds. Let’s examine what these colors mean and the penalties involved should you end up crossing them.
One is by dropping your ball within two club lengths of the point where the ball crosses or touches the hazard, no nearer the hole. The other is to go to the opposite side of the lateral water hazard and drop your golf ball at a spot on the hazard’s margin that is equidistant from the hole. All of these are explained in detail in Rule 26.
The red lines on a golf course also indicate a lateral water hazard. It is worth noting that a single body of water hazard could have its side marked differently depending on whether its parts run adjacent or across the line of play. That is to say a water hazard could have a yellow stake or line from one side and a red stake or line from ...
Your ball is considered in the water hazard when it touches the yellow markers or lies within the hazard. It is also worth noting that there are two options a golfer can choose from for dealing with a one-stroke penalty due to water hazard. The first option is to play the ball from its previous spot.
The first option is to play the ball from its previous spot. And the other option is to take a drop – that is dropping the ball at any point behind the hazard marker that was violated. More on water hazard rules in Rule 26.
It is worth noting that a golf course could also use other markers as out-of-bounds indicators such as a fence.
Stakes may be used throughout a golf course to indicate the status of certain areas, such as ground under repair or out of bounds areas. Some stakes are white, but stakes -- or lines drawn on the ground – that mark the boundaries of water hazards must be either red or yellow, according to the United States Golf Association’s Rules of Golf.
Red and Yellow Stakes. When stakes are used to designate water hazards, yellow stakes must be employed for standard hazards, while red stakes must be used for lateral water hazards, according to the Rules of Golf.
Players are not entitled to free relief if stakes within a hazard render a ball unplayable, according to Note 1 of Rule 24-2b. Free relief is available under Rule 24 if both the ball and the stakes are outside of a water hazard.
Common water hazards include ponds or small lakes, but a drainage ditch will also be considered a water hazard if it normally contains water, even if the ditch is dry on a particular day.
They basically mean a dividing point between a dual hazard – that is, the point where a regular water hazard meets a lateral water hazard.
This is perhaps a rare marking color you will see on a course. Blue stakes are basically used to indicate a GUR or ground under repair. But under repair areas of a course are more commonly represented by white markings around them.
But when a course has a green stake in some parts it usually means those areas are ESA or environmentally sensitive areas.
Unlike red and yellow stakes, white stakes do not represent a hazard, but instead communicate what areas are “out of bounds” for the course you’re playing. While some courses choose to make everything red/yellow staked, when you do see white stakes there is a very specific procedure you must follow.
In addition to the three options above, if your ball crosses into a hazard marked with red stakes you can choose to take a penalty stroke and drop a new ball two club lengths from where the ball entered the hazard (as long as it isn’t any closer to the hole).
If your ball comes to rest in out-of-bounds territory you must take a penalty stroke and then rehit from the spot of your last shot . This combined loss of stroke and distance are often considered the worst punishment in golf for an errant shot. As if we needed another reason to stay away from the tall grass….
Hazards can be a wide range of natural or man-made obstacles on the golf course such as lakes, rivers, sand traps, and so on. That’s not all though, in practice, anything with red or yellow stakes around it can be considered a hazard during your round.
This is useful when facing lateral water hazards (which are red staked) as you would need roughly two club lengths of space to stand for your next shot. And, as long as your lie is decent around the drop zone, this is often one of the more popular options a golfer can take as it doesn’t sacrifice the distance you gained in your last shot.
While this is usually not a golfer’s first choice, sometimes the angle you had during your last shot was better than the one you would have next to the hazard. Regardless, it is an option for red and yellow marked hazards.
But the Rules also allow Committees to expand their use to incorporate areas that do not contain water. Penalty areas now have a default marking colour of red. Red stakes in golf (or lines) allow the additional lateral relief option (see below).
If the original shot was a tee shot, you may tee the ball up in any part of the teeing area.
To proceed, find where you last played from as a reference point, estimating the spot if you’re not sure. Drop your ball within a one club-length arc of that point not nearer the hole and then play it. There is a penalty of one stroke. You must drop in the same area of the course as your reference point.
You may play it as it lies. There is nothing to stop you playing the ball as it lies in a penalty area marked with red stakes in golf if safe (and perhaps wise!) to do so. If you opt to play it, there is no penalty for touching the ground or water with your hand or club.
If you opt to play it, there is no penalty for touching the ground or water with your hand or club. You may take practice swings and touch or move loose impediments when your ball lies in a penalty area marked with red stakes in golf (or lines).
Ken and Kate are playing golf on a fabulous golf course. The only problem they are having is negotiating all the water hazards that seem to be on every hole. Kate and Kate tee up on the 9th hole and Kate’s shot takes a right pathway off the clubface and heads right into the water. When they reach the approximate point where the ball crossed and dove into the water, they see it is marked with a yellow line and yellow stakes. What does Kate do?
Under penalty of one stroke, s he may drop the ball any distance behind the water hazard, keeping a straight line between the spot where the ball is dropped (A), the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard (B) and the hole location (C). (see image below).
As most of us are in the throes of spring and golf courses are re-opening after a long winter, I thought it would be nice to get back to one of the basic rules of golf that sometimes stumps us – Water Hazards.
There is no player out in the world of golf that likes to hit into a hazard. It happens and when it does, it makes for a better round of golf knowing the rules and getting yourself back into play. Knowing The Rules of Golf make the game more fun for you and your playing partners.
Under the penalty of one stroke, s he can drop the ball any distance behind the water hazard no nearer the hole as mentioned in detail above.
Yardage markers come in a few primary forms on most courses. Most common are colored disks at set distances on every hole. Generally, a red disk denotes 100 yards to the center of the green, white 150 yards and blue 200 yards.
Golf fairway markers are a series of disks placed on courses, usually on par 4s or par 5s, that signify the distance from that point in the fairway to the center of the green. The markers are color coded according to distance, and while most courses use the same system, check with a course employee if you are unsure.
In addition to yardage markers, players can carry devices that will help them determine yardage to the green or the pin without the aid of a marker or diagram. Some rangefinders use the relative size of the flag to determine distance to the pin when you look through the scope. Modern technology includes GPS devices capable of reading precisely where you are on a hole and giving you a yardage readout to the green and other locations.
Golf fairway markers are a series of disks placed on courses, usually on par 4s or par 5s, that signify the distance from that point in the fairway to the center of the green.