drop from yellow stakes

[hacker1]

Can someone clear this up for me - where to drop
red stakes drop is 2 clubs from point of entry
yellow stakes is point of entry behind hazard and in line with hole
at coden on hole 10 and 18 the two ponds inbetween are yellow staked
if you hit into pond do you have to go behind pond
i have been told that you can go point on entry as long as part of pond is between you and hole. it seems that when i look at this is seems to be a little creative
thanks

[jvincent]

Just to clarify, for red stakes two club lengths is one of the options.

For a yellow stake, you need to keep the point that the ball LAST CROSSED the margin of the hazard between you and the flag if you are dropping.

Last crossed is important because if the ball crosses the hazard, hits the other side, and then goes in the water the last point is usually different than if it goes directly into the water.

[gbower]

During a tournament a couple of years ago at Cobden we played that pond as a lateral water hazard instead of a water hazard. I felt it was a very severe penalty to go all the way to the far end of the pond and drop if the ball went in the water at the end close to the green. I was told that they play it like you said and drop as if it was a red staked area which isn't the way it is marked.

[triplets]

I am not sure but I think you can go back to the tee and re tee the shot. Hitting 3 of the tee.

[XTOUR]

Is the option of keeping the pin in line and go as far back as you want with both yellow and red stakes?

[gbower]

Yes Xtour that is one of the options for both yellow and red stakes. You can keep the flagstick and the point the ball last crossed the line of the hazard and go back as far as you wish and drop there. Sometimes that can get you into a good lie.

[XTOUR]

Thank you

I wish I would have went to the rules clinic earlier this year. So many ?s now that I have been playing more competitive golf.

[gbower]

It is important, especially in tournaments, to know the rules and it's amazing the number of players that don't know the basics but as a rules official at a lot of tournaments it's always good when I've been able to help a player learn when they've gotten into a situation.

[OutOfTheRough]

It is important, especially in tournaments, to know the rules and it's amazing the number of players that don't know the basics but as a rules official at a lot of tournaments it's always good when I've been able to help a player learn when they've gotten into a situation.

I agree with learning the basics. I know I have lost a few strokes in tournament play due to my lack of knowledge. Definitely something I'm going to brush up on this winter!

[Gropper]

I agree with the lack of knowledge and sure got a good education from Gerry at smugglers this year! also found out a bit more about taking a drop from unplayable lies as well, just wish i new that rule better before i had to use it during my last golf trip