Red Stakes

your blue text makes it hard to read.

but you can find your answer just by googling or bringing along a rules of golf handbook or install the app.

http://golf.about.com/od/rulesofgolf/a/stakesandlines.htm

I think only 2 club length for the RSH.

TDO wrote:

Hi guys,

I have a round of golf with my friends 1 month ago at The Legends Water Course.

At Hole 2 one of our flight mates drove his ball into the Red Stakes Hazard (RSH) on the right. My friend said that if the ball entered a RSH the ball must be found. If not it is considered lost ball. I disagreed with him and replied that there's no requirement to find the ball in a RSH and player can drop the ball at point of entry or as far back as he wish right up to the tee box but not nearer the hole.

I further told him the ruling of "Must find the ball" only applies to flower bed or other free lift area. If the ball cannot be found in the area of "free lift" then it is considered a lost ball after 5 minutes.

Can any bro advice if my interpretation above is correct?

This is an interesting question. I have come across even tournament-wnning seasoned veterans get this confused, so you are not alone.

Lets tackle this.

You are basically talking about Rule 26 and Rule 27.

• Question: What Do Red Stakes or Red Lines Mean on a Golf Course?
  Answer: Red stakes and red lines on a golf course indicate a lateral water hazard. A lateral water hazard is differentiated from a "standard" water hazard by the fact that it is, well, lateral. That is, it runs alongside or adjacent to the line of play, rather than across it.
  

My standby site for golf rules is this (I've set it to point to the rule in question, rule 26):

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/

26-1. Relief for Ball in Water Hazard
It is a question of fact whether a ball that has not been found after having been struck toward a water hazard is in the hazard. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the hazard. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.

Rule 27-1 means penalty for stroke and distance. So add 1 stroke, and go back to the spot where the ball was last hit from.

The key point is: " it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the hazard."

It is not necessary to find the ball. It must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the hazard. For instance, someone seeing the ball fly into the hazard is usually good enough to be virtually certain that the ball is in the hazard. If it appears to land on some tall grass just bordering the hazard, and it cannot be ascertained whether the ball is indeed in the hazard or whether it just got lost in the tall grass, then there is room for doubt. But from your description, sounds like the ball was clearly seen going into the hazard.

In which case, it's a penalty of stroke, not stroke and distance.


Rule 26 continues to state:

If a ball is in a water hazard or if it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in a water hazard (whether the ball lies in water or not), the player may
under penalty of one stroke:

a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or

c. As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.

When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.

So you see, for a lateral hazard (red stakes), you have all the options of dropping it that a normal water hazard (yellow stakes) has, and IN ADDITION, you have the option to drop the ball according to clause c above. The veteran player insisted I must drop within two club lenghs in a lateral hazard. I said no, I can also treat it like a normal water hazard and go as far back in the line as I wish.

Just as I was about to post this, I see duffader making the same mistake as my friend above.

In the case of a lateral water hazard, the 2-club length is AN ADDITIONAL OPTION, not A COMPULSORY ONE.