what does it mean when you see stakes or lines on the golf course

What are the colored Stakes and lines on a golf course?

When it comes to colors on a golf course, the stakes are high. Crossing the line could cost you strokes. We're talking about the colored stakes and lines golfers encounter on golf courses - red stakes and red lines; yellow stakes and yellow lines; white stakes and white lines.

What do the while lines mean on a golf course?

The while lines on a golf course mean the same thing as white stakes, though an indication of out-of-bounds in a different way. That is, a white line painted on the ground where beyond it is out-of-bounds. It is worth noting that a golf course could also use other markers as out-of-bounds indicators such as a fence.

What is a white stake on a golf course?

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.

What do the Red Stakes mean on a golf course?

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.

What does it mean when you see stakes on the golf course?

out of boundsIt 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.

What are red lines on a golf course?

You may play it as it lies 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). You can do all these things just as you can in the general area of the course.

What do red and white stakes mean in golf?

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.

What do different colored stakes mean in golf?

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.

What is the rule for yellow stakes in golf?

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.

What does blue Stakes mean in golf?

Blue Stake. A blue stake denotes a waste bunker and is also a movable obstruction. You are allowed to ground the club, and you may have a practice swing hitting the sand. You may also remove a blue stake if it interferes with your stance or stroke, whether you are standing in the bunker or not.

What are the black and white poles on a golf course?

What Are Golf Fairway Markers? 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.

What are blue markers in golf?

Blue tee markers denote the teeing ground used for local or club championship play in tournaments, and is the tee used by skilled male players who have a low handicap. This tee is almost always the longest yardage for each hole, unless the course has black or gold tees.

Can you hit out of red stakes?

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.

Where do you drop red stake hazard?

Lateral relief allows you to drop a ball into a relief area measured from where your ball last crossed the edge of red penalty area. From that reference point, you are allowed to drop outside the penalty area and anywhere within two club-lengths of that spot, no nearer to the hole (see Rule 17.1d(3)).

Is red line out of bounds in golf?

When a line on the ground is used, the line itself is out of bounds. However, a ball is deemed in bounds still even if only a small part of it lies on the course side of the boundary line.

What is the difference between red and yellow penalty areas in golf?

Yellow penalty areas (marked with yellow lines or yellow stakes) give you two relief options (Rules 17.1d(1) and (2)). Red penalty areas (marked with red lines or red stakes) give you an extra lateral relief option (Rule 17.1d(3)), in addition to the two relief options available for yellow penalty areas.

What does the red line on the ground mean?

Red stakes pounded into the ground on a golf course or red lines painted on the ground are the markers used to indicate a lateral water hazard. A lateral water hazard is differentiated from a "regular" water hazard by the fact ...

Where is the drop in golf?

Or a golfer can go to the opposite side of the lateral water hazard and drop at a spot on the hazard's margin that is equidistant from the hole. A ball is considered in the hazard when it lies within ...

What does it mean when you see yellow lines on a golf course?

So if you see yellow stakes or yellow lines on a golf course now, they designate a yellow penalty area: a place from which you can attempt to play your golf ball, if, in fact, it appears playable, but from which you'll most likely have to take a drop and apply a penalty stroke.

What does the yellow line mean on a golf course?

What Do Yellow Stakes or Yellow Lines Mean on a Golf Course? The yellow stakes (and line) indicate that Adam Scott is inside the boundary of a water hazard. Jeff Gross / Getty Images. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism.

Why are there yellow lines in golf?

That's because the R&A and USGA have given golf courses the option to designate all penalty areas as red penalty areas.

What does "dropping to the side of the penalty area" mean?

That means dropping to the side of the penalty area, if such an option exists on the golf course. (Some lakes or other penalty areas will be too large to provide a lateral option.) This provision, the governing bodies explained, is intended to help pace of play.

What is the rule for yellow penalty areas in golf?

Today, under the new, condensed rules, yellow penalty areas are covered under Rule 17.

Is it quicker to drop within two club lengths of where a ball crossed the margin of the penalty area?

It is quicker to drop within two club lengths of where a ball crossed the margin of the penalty area than it is to walk back on the line or take stroke-and-distance. However, it is up to golf courses and Committees to make the determination whether to switch a previously identified yellow water hazard to a red penalty area.

Is there a penalty area in golf?

Beginning in 2019, with the Rules of Golf edition that went into effect that year, the terms "hazard," "water hazard" and "lateral water hazard" were dropped. Today, the term "penalty area" is used instead, and has a slightly more expansive meaning than "water hazard.".

What does a white stake mean in golf?

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. 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. White lines can also be used to indicate drop zones and ground under repair, which is a spot on the course from which you shouldn't play and you'll get a free drop no nearer the hole.

What are the different types of stakes on a golf course?

You'll run into three different types of stakes (or sometimes painted lines) on a golf course: red, yellow and white. Each comes with a different set of options and related penalties, so let's break it down.

What does a yellow line on a golf ball mean?

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. If the ball isn't playable, then the golfer can take a 1-stroke penalty and use one of two options: return to the original spot of the last shot and drop the ball as near as possible to that spot to hit again, or, keeping a line between themselves, the flag and where the ball crossed the hazard line, they can drop as far back from the hazard as they choose.

What is a red stake?

Red stake. A set of red stakes marks the margin of a lateral water hazard. Really, this should be the only kind of water hazard there is, but we digress. A lateral water hazard is water that can come into play with a poor shot, but it runs alongside or adjacent to the intended line of play.

What does the blue stake on a golf course mean?

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.

What does green stake mean in golf?

But when a course has a green stake in some parts it usually means those areas are ESA or environmentally sensitive areas.

What does the blue on a golf stake mean?

Blue. 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.

How to play golf if you're not sure where you last played?

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.

What happens if you are not 95% certain that your ball is in a red penalty area?

First, it is worth stressing that if it is not known for sure that your ball is in a red penalty area, or you are not 95% certain that it is, you will have to go back to where you last played from under stroke and distance (Rule 18.2).

What color are penal areas?

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).

What happens if you don't play your ball?

If you decide not to play your ball, you have three relief options at your disposal. There’s no guarantee that all of them will always be practical depending on the topography and geography.

Can you play a golf ball as it lies?

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.

Can you touch water with your hand in golf?

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).