Rules Q&A

Rules Q&A

Thank you for answering this question, which I have had a dozen interpretations of. If you hit your ball to an island green marked by red hazard lines, and the ball flies over the green and into the water on the far side of the green, where is the proper place to drop your ball after taking a one stroke penalty?

Since your ball lasted crossed the lateral hazard (red) line you have four options with a one-stroke penalty (other than playing the ball as it lies):
1) play a ball as near as possible to the spot where the original ball was last played;
2) drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and spot on which the ball is dropped…;
3) drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard; or
4) within two club-lengths of a point on the opposite side of the water hazard that is equidistant from the hole.
See Rule 26-1

Red and yellow hazard markers. What is the difference?

Stakes and lines used to define a lateral water hazard must be marked red.
Stakes and lines used to define a water hazard must be marked yellow. Check out the difference between these two hazards by looking up "Lateral Water Hazard" and "Water Hazard" in the "Definitions" section in the Rules of Golf Booklet.

The relief procedure for water hazards and lateral water hazards are different and are explained in detail under Rule 26.

Are there any instances when a club can be grounded in a hazard without incurring a penalty?

A player's club may touch the ground in a hazard or water in a water hazard in measuring or probing in water in a water hazard to find ball, in probing to find a ball covered by loose impediments or in preventing that player from falling (Rule 13-4). Remember that the definition of grounding is when the grass is compressed to the point where it will support the weight of the club (see Decision 18-2b/5).

On the second hole I drove the ball into a bunch of dry leaves and old grass clippings made by the gardeners. May I move my ball out of the leaves? Should I take one -troke penalty or is it a free relief?

If the dry leaves and old grass was material piled for removal then it would be considered “Ground under repair” and relief would be available without penalty, (See Rule 25-1b). If the debris was not intended to be removed you would either play the ball as it lay or declare it unplayable and proceed under Rule 28a, b or c, incurring a one-stroke penalty.

I was playing a match and my opponent hit her ball in a lateral hazard. She was being very careful not to ground her club as she walked down the embankment but she slipped and fell. Her club hit the ground inside the hazard. Should she have been assessed a penalty for grounding her club? I didn't because I felt it was inadvertent.

No. See Exception 1 under Rule 13

I'm on the green, flag out, I putt and the ball goes off the green. On my next shot what do I do with the flag? Must it stay out, in, or do I have an option? Thank you - Marty Roos

Since your ball lies through the green you have the options of having the flag left in the hole unattended, having it attended or having it removed from the hole. (See Rule 17)

If you are dropping a ball by or in front of a water hazard and the ball rolls forward does that constitute a re-drop. Keep in mind we are dropping well back from where the ball entered the hazard.

This is a common question and most players get confused. Basically if the ball rolls more than two club-lengths, from where it first struck a part of the course, regardless of direction, it must be re-dropped, see Rule 20-2c (vi). If the ball rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole than the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water, it must be re-dropped, see Rule 20-2c (vii)(c).

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