Golf ruling...lateral hazard?

Question

This actually happened to me...

I hit my ball into a lateral hazard, so I dropped a new ball close to the entry point, just as I was supposed to. But the ground next to the lake was so steep that the ball I dropped began rolling down to the water. Well...I was not going to stand there and watch a perfectly good ball go into the lake, so I stopped it from rolling with my foot.

This was a casual round of golf with friends, so I picked the ball up and dropped it again. This time it didn't roll so I hit it...but I began wondering...if this had been a professional tournament, what would have been the correct and legal thing to do?

Answer 1

You have the 2 club length option, going as far back as you wish keeping the point of entry into the hazard between you and the flag stick  and the third option of replaying the shot. That had not been mentioned.

Answer 2

the actual ruling to that is if it goes back into the hazard you get the same amount of 2 club length and a drop. if it happens 2 more times you place the ball on the grass so it wont move. the hazard many times starts before it goes into the water, but it would not have been an extra penalty. this has happened to me many times. and it sucks.

Answer 3

All correct answers here, but your question also involved stopping the ball with your foot.  In a tournament, the ball would have to have rolled outside the 2 club lengths or back into the hazard before you could touch it.  I have seen golf tournaments where the caddy waits in the hazard to catch the ball and the announcers make a point of saying he has to be careful not to touch it until it has crossed the line.  But not worth losing a new ball over - if you declare your intent before you drop, your playing partners won't begrudge you saving your golf ball.  

Answer 4

Drop within 2 club lengths of the point of entry to the hazard.  if the ball was clearly going to roll into the hazard again after 2 attempts you can place the ball at the point it touched the ground during your drop

Answer 5

Shawn & Baker are correct in saying that the ball can be redropped when it rolls back into the hazard.  But you have more options than just 2 clublengths.  You can drop the ball as far back as you like as long as you stay on the same line as the flagstick and the point of entry where the ball went into the hazard.  This could be the difference of dropping the ball into high rough on a downhill lie or sacrificing 10 yards and dropping into the short grass of the fairway on a level lie.  It helps a golfer when they know the correct options to the rules because they can really use them to their advantage.  Hope it helps.