Water Hazards and Out of Bounds in Golf

Question

In Golf, what happens if your ball goes into a water hazard or out of bounds? How strokes are counted? Where does the ball go? Also, If on your drive, you hit a very poor shot, can you redo it in exchange for a penalty stroke? Thanks.

Answer 1

Well there are three different types of penalties you should be conerned with:

Out of Bounds marked by the white stakes:  This is a one stroke penalty, and you must rehit from the same spot.  So if you were on a tee, you hit it out that's one out, 2 is the penalty, and you are now hitting 3 off the tee.

Water Hazard marked by the red stakes:  This is also a one stroke penalty, you can either hit from the same spot or drop in the drop zone or in the line that your ball entered the hazard at (point of entry).  So if you hit from the tee into the water, that's 1 into the water, 2 penalty, and you are hitting 3 from the drop zone or the point of entry or if you want rehit from the spot on your 3rd shot.

Lateral Hazard marked by the yellow stakes:  This is the same as the red, but you now have the option to take the line of entry, and drop your ball as far back on this line as you desire.  So if you hit it right into the water, you can draw a line from where your ball entered to where you hit, and you can drop anywhere along this line.  The penalty stroke would apply the same as the red stakes.

And no you can not take a penalty stroke for a poor shot.  

Answer 2

Water Hazard = 2 stroke

OB = 2 stroke

After a water ball or OB you drop the ball at the ball drop spot or at the 150 mark. If you have a bad drive you can take a mulligan shot for a 1 stroke penalty.

Answer 3

If you go in a water hazard with a red line you drop behind the water with a one stroke penalty.

If you go in a water hazard with a yellow line it is considered a lateral water hazard and you drop wherever the ball last crossed the line and it's a one stroke penalty.

If you go out of bounds you have to retee and you count it as one out of bounds, two in, and you are hitting three of the tee.

And no you can't chose to rehit a shot if it is bad unless it went out of bounds or in a hazard.  In which case if the ball went in the water you can choose to hit from you last were.

Hope this helps man.

Answer 4

OB or lost ball: Stroke and distance is the only option. (For example, you would now be hitting three from the tee.)

Water Hazard (yellow stakes): Draw an imaginary line from the flag, through the point where the ball last crossed the hazard, and drop on that line, as far back as you want to go. Penalty is one stroke. (You just can't go closer to the hole.) Or, you can take stroke and distance.

Lateral Water Hazard (Red stakes): Same as yellow stakes. OR you can find the point where the ball last crossed the hazard and drop within two club lengths of that point, or find the point on the other side of the hazard at the same distance from the hole, and drop within two club lengths. In both cases, one stroke penalty. Again, you can also take stroke and distance.

If you look through Decision 26 (link below) you will see some diagrams showing where to take relief.

Edit: If you hit a really bad drive, and want to hit another, technically you can, but it will count as your third stroke. Your original ball would then be considered "lost". (Rule 27-2)