Rules Crew -
QUESTION: I’ve lost control of my driver and seem to have no clue which direction it's headed off the tee. Can you help me understand the difference between red and yellow stakes?
- Steven M. (Pasadena, CA)
Ruling: We’ve all been there. While hopefully you find something on the range before your next round, it is good to be prepared with your relief options when the dreaded pull-hook inevitably returns. Rule 17.1d will be your guide in these (sometimes) thorny situations.
If a player’s ball is in a penalty area, including when it is known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area even though not found, the player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke, both red and yellow:
- Stroke-and-Distance Relief. The player may play the original ball or another ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).
- Back-on-the-Line Relief. The player may drop the original ball or another ball (see Rule 14.3) outside the penalty area, keeping the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped (with no limit as to how far back the ball may be dropped). The spot on the line where the ball first touches the ground when dropped creates a relief area that is one club-length in any direction from that point, but with these limits:
- Lateral Relief (Only for Red Penalty Area). When the ball last crossed the edge of a red penalty area, the player may drop the original ball or another ball in this lateral relief area (see Rule 14.3):
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- Limits on Location of Relief Area:
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- Reference Point: The estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area.
- Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: Two club-lengths, but with these limits:
- Limits on Location of Relief Area: