One of the most commonly misunderstood and incorrectly followed rules of golf revolves around a ball in a Yellow Penalty Area.
So often players are seen taking 2 club length relief back from where their ball entered, this is only permitted for Red Penalty Areas.
If your ball is in a Yellow Penalty Area and you have deemed it unplayable, you only have 2 options.
- Go back to where you played your previous shot, dropping the ball under 1 stroke penalty within a club length not nearer the hole.
- Take the point where the ball last crossed the Penalty Area and the Flagstick, then continue back on that line as far as you wish, dropping the ball under 1 stroke penalty.
A Red (Laterall) hazard is slightly different. Like with yellow stakes, you have to identify where the ball crossed into the hazard. However, you are given a two clubs length area to drop. You can also go on the other side of the hazard—assuming no closer to the hole—and drop there as well.
