In Bounds or Out?
Whether playing with our regular group or teeing it up in a tournament, it’s the golfer’s responsibility to know the rules to achieve their best score possible. Often, players find their golf ball near the out-of-bounds line.
Q: Do you know how to determine if your ball is in bounds if you’re on the line?
A: A ball is out of bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary edge of the course. The diagram below provides examples of when a ball is in-bounds and out of bounds.
In the image below, the left side shows the boundary edge, defined by the line between the course-side points of the stakes at ground level. The stakes are out of bounds.
The image on the right has no stakes, only a painted line. The boundary edge is the course-side edge of the line, and the line itself is out of bounds.
Wrong ball played?
Q: What is the penalty for playing the wrong ball?
A: In Stroke play, a general penalty of two strokes applies – added to your score at the end of the hole. You must also correct the mistake by continuing to play with your original ball as it lies or taking relief under the Rules.
This means you must return to where your original ball lies, and if you find it, you complete the hole with that ball, adding two shots to your score. In Matchplay, if you play the wrong ball, the general penalty applies, which is loss of the hole.
Penalty Areas
Q: How does a player take relief from a yellow or red penalty area?
A: When taking relief from a penalty area, the player receives a one-stroke penalty.
Yellow Penalty Area
- A player may take a relief by dropping as near as possible to the point from where the last shot was played (stroke and distance).
- A player may take the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area and drop as far back as they would like, keeping that point in a straight line between the golfer and the flagstick.
Red Penalty Area
- A player may take relief by dropping as near as possible to the point from where the last shot was played (stroke and distance).
- A player may take the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area and drop as far back as they would like, keeping that point in a straight line between the golfer and the flagstick.
- A player may take lateral relief. Lateral relief allows the golfer to drop into a relief area measured from where the ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area. From that point, they are allowed to drop outside the penalty area and anywhere within the two club lengths of that spot, not nearer the hole.
More about Doug Oubre, Director of Golf at The Grove.