White stakes

[nokids]

Dear Golf Canada,

Eliminate white stakes and make them all red stakes.

Thanks,

The majority of golfers

[Kilroy]

OB (white) stakes denote areas that are off the course. If you make them red people would play from areas off the course property. ie: from peoples back yards.

What you really want is a drop at point of entry to the out of bounds, as with a lateral (red staked) hazard. I see lots of golfers doing that, including myself many years ago. Now that I apreciate the rules of the game more than I did then I don't do that anymore.

[jeffc]

How bout making it a 2 stroke penalty and drop at point of entry. It could speed things up by not having to go back to the tee.

[Kilroy]

Or you could speed things up by hitting a provisional when there is a possibility of being lost or out of bounds. I have never had to return to a tee for an OB ball. Lost inexplicably sure but for OB it is hard to miss that it might be in trouble.

[AAA]

How bout making it a 2 stroke penalty and drop at point of entry. It could speed things up by not having to go back to the tee.

Why not play a provisional?

If you want a quick game just go to the practice ground.

[jeffc]

Why not play a provisional?

If you want a quick game just go to the practice ground.

I do, lots of people don't though.

[jeffc]

Or you could speed things up by hitting a provisional when there is a possibility of being lost or out of bounds. I have never had to return to a tee for an OB ball. Lost inexplicably sure but for OB it is hard to miss that it might be in trouble.

Not being familiar with a course means not knowing what stakes are present sometimes. There are lots of holes where red you can't tell it's ob until you get there.

[nokids]

Not being familiar with a course means not knowing what stakes are present sometimes. There are lots of holes where red you can't tell it's ob until you get there.

This,

and very few golf courses provide course maps indicating the stakes on each hole. It's not that hard to do!

[gbower]

Usually if it's hit close to where an out of bounds could be it's most likely in an area where the ball could be lost so just hit the damn provisional and suck it up.

[nokids]

OB (white) stakes denote areas that are off the course. If you make them red people would play from areas off the course property. ie: from peoples back yards.

What you really want is a drop at point of entry to the out of bounds, as with a lateral (red staked) hazard

1- i say change the rule so that playing inside the red stakes is not allowed

2- yes exactly

[BC MIST]

Dear Golf Canada,

Eliminate white stakes and make them all red stakes.

Thanks,

The majority of golfers

Dear Golf Canada,

The penalty for hitting a ball out of bounds (Off course property or an area where play is prohibited) is not severe enough. It should be 2 strokes and distance.

Thanks,

The majority of "real" golfers.

BTW: Red stakes indicate that a hazard is present. "Any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or open water course," off course property, is not in play.

[bNeill]

Dear Golf Canada,

The penalty for hitting a ball out of bounds (Off course property or an area where play is prohibited) is not severe enough. It should be 2 strokes and distance.

Thanks,

The majority of "real" golfers.

BTW: Red stakes indicate that a hazard is present. "Any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or open water course," off course property, is not in play.

says a guy who hasn't missed a fairway in 20 years

[ScottRempel]

I play by the rules, but I sure wish I could play from OB some days. We have a few holes that line the property and as such OB is literally yards from the fairway. One hole even has a cart path running next to the OB line so if you land inbounds but were heading towards OB the ball almost always runs out as the rough is dry in that area and then once it touches the path it's usually gone.

I guess I just wished that the courses were set-up to allow a certain amount of buffer zone prior to the OB. 3-4 yards of rough with no trees or anything just doesn't seem like much. A shot within reasonable proximity to the fairway should be punished by a hazard or long rough...not stroke and distance. I'm not sure what that "reasonable proimity" is, but I'd like to see closer to 10 yards then 3-4.

That, or I just figure out how to hit the stupid fairway consistently :p. Honestly though, it would likely be easier for the course to buy the land around it and expand...HA!

[BC MIST]

says a guy who hasn't missed a fairway in 20 years

That's a myth. It's more like 5.

[sharkshooter]

That's a myth. It's more like 5.

Do you mean you've missed 5 fairways in 20 years, or no fairways in 5 years?

Either way,

[Grouchy]

Or you could speed things up by hitting a provisional when there is a possibility of being lost or out of bounds. I have never had to return to a tee for an OB ball. Lost inexplicably sure but for OB it is hard to miss that it might be in trouble.

Oh? And what if my provisional also has "a possibility of being lost or out of bounds"? What then, smart guy? And don't say to hit another provisional, because it's "a possibility of being lost or out of bounds" all the way down.

But on a serious note: why the heck do these hazard/boundary stakes have to be the same colour as 100 and 150 yard markers? If we are running out of easily viewed from a distance colours, might I suggest stripes?

[justsomeguy]

Oh? And what if my provisional also has "a possibility of being lost or out of bounds"? What then, smart guy? And don't say to hit another provisional, because it's "a possibility of being lost or out of bounds" all the way down.

Why ask the question when you already know the answer?

But on a serious note: why the heck do these hazard/boundary stakes have to be the same colour as 100 and 150 yard markers? If we are running out of easily viewed from a distance colours, might I suggest stripes?

I'm sure the hazard/boundary stakes colours came first - they have been specified in the Rules of Golf for a long, long time. The yardage markers are a courtesy, not a requirement.

Personally I think OB should be treated the same as a lateral water hazard from which play is prohibited - but I don't see the rule changing anytime soon.

[Kilroy]

Oh? And what if my provisional also has "a possibility of being lost or out of bounds"? What then, smart guy? And don't say to hit another provisional, because it's "a possibility of being lost or out of bounds" all the way down.

Not sure what your point here is. I am not trying to be a "smart guy". Also, why would you say "don't say to hit another provisional,"? If I am not allowed to say that I cannot respond to the question as that is the correct answer. I guess you just want those who want the rule changed to participate in the discussion.

[adanac]

Not sure what your point here is. I am not trying to be a "smart guy". Also, why would you say "don't say to hit another provisional,"? If I am not allowed to say that I cannot respond to the question as that is the correct answer. I guess you just want those who want the rule changed to participate in the discussion.

Of course, the player may continue to hit provisionals until he thinks that one of them is not lost or out of bounds.
Failing that, he can walk back to the clubhouse and post a WD.

[adanac]

for some Rules history on the subject, look here..
http://www.ruleshistory.com/lost.html#oob

[nokids]

for some Rules history on the subject, look here..
http://www.ruleshistory.com/lost.html#oob

interesting

[Kilroy]

Seems the expression "Been there, done that" applies here.

[John]

Are there people in this thread saying that during a round of golf on a saturday morning if you hit a ball that is looking fine off the tee but once you get out there you can't find it or find that it's bounced ob, you will walk back to the tee where the next group is waiting to hit and tee up another ball? I have played hundreds of rounds of golf in my time and have never seen this happen.

[Kilroy]

In our group we play a match play Nassau. If we lose a ball and no provisional was played, we'll check back to see if returning would hold anyone up. If not we go back (in a cart). Personally I don't pay on weekends very much and going back is not usually out of the question. If it isn't an option I'll simply take an "x" and drop out of the hole. That's harsh, but I should have played a provisional.

For handicapping on such holes we use esc and in my case I have to mark a 7 now instead of a double. Thankfully it does not happen very often.

I will usually pick up after tossing two out of bounds as well, as the odds of winning the hole or posting less than a 7 are miniscule to say the least.

[mpare]

The rule is fine as it is. I agree with those who have already said that if you believe you hit it OB, then hit a provisional. Better yet, don't hit it OB. If that's your objective, though, see Lyle.

[fourlights]

I have a problem with internal out of bounds to prevent players from cutting corners. Also illogical OB such as the right side of number 9 at Stonebridge.

[BC MIST]

I have a problem with internal out of bounds to prevent players from cutting corners.

Unfortunately, many golfers believe that out of bounds means that their ball has come to rest off course property. Rather, it should be seen that the ball has come to rest in an area where play is prohibited. Cutting the corner of #14, Carleton G&YC endangers golfers playing the adjacent #13. Similarly, #7 Outaouais south, where the practice range is located. Perhaps a player may cut the corner of a dogleg on a line where an adjacent teeing ground is located (Mountain Creek) or the clubhouse/parking lot/Pro Shop (Perth Golf Course), are located close to a hole, and so on. These are obviously areas within the golf club property but also areas where it's also potentially dangerous to play to or even from, justifying marking these internal areas as out of bounds.

[nokids]

I have a problem with internal out of bounds to prevent players from cutting corners. Also illogical OB such as the right side of number 9 at Stonebridge.

I hate that ob with a passion!!!!!! But there is a road right behind the bush so I see how it makes sense.

[Grouchy]

Not sure what your point here is. I am not trying to be a "smart guy". Also, why would you say "don't say to hit another provisional,"? If I am not allowed to say that I cannot respond to the question as that is the correct answer. I guess you just want those who want the rule changed to participate in the discussion.

I know this thread is older now, but I just wanted to come back and say that I was just kidding. I thought the smiley would've made that obvious. Sorry.

Anyways, even though the OB stakes are older and spelled out in the rules, I am still baffled that the courtesy of yardage markers developed to include the same colours.

[Bouche]

I have a problem with internal out of bounds to prevent players from cutting corners. Also illogical OB such as the right side of number 9 at Stonebridge.

Popler grove and Arnprior have some OB's that dont make sense