Lateral hazard rule question...?

Question

My local course has a couple of holes where the fairway has a 10-15 yard wide bunker running along the side of the fairway for the entire length, then a cart path, then a creek with red lateral hazard posts. There is about 3 feet of dirt/grass/gravel between the cart path and the creek.

Now if a slice shot is hit and the ball travels over the bunker and the cart path and into the creek, where would I drop my ball?

I am allowed 2 club lengths from the last point my ball crossed the hazard, but that puts me on the cart path. 2 club lengths from the path leaves me in the bunker. Am I supposed to drop in the bunker, or do I drop 2 lengths from the last point it crossed the bunker, or do I drop in that gravel/dirt area? Thanks for any answers!

sorry ADD boy, I had to be specific to get the proper answer. and there's another long question on the list for you to answer like a jerk to.

Thx much Colin, but from what I understand, I can only go back along the flight path if the ball is in a water hazard marked with yellow stakes. Rule 26-1c states that for lateral hazards marked with red stakes, the ball must be dropped within 2 clubs of the last point it crossed, and I'm confused about where to drop due to the bunker lining the fairway. Can someone clarify if I can go back along the flight path for a ball in a lateral hazard? thx again

Answer 1

You have a few options

1 - hit the ball again from where you originally hit (stroke and distance).

2- drop within the 2 clubs from the last point it crosses the margin.

3 - You can go back keeping the point it crossed the margin of the hazard and drop keeping that point between you and the hole. (you can go back as far as you want)

4 - Most people don't know this one, but you can cross the lateral hazard and hit from a point opposite where your ball entered the hazard. "a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole"

NOTE: If you elect to do #2 you must drop within 2 clubs (probably) in the dirt. You may play it from there even if you are standing on the cart path.
However - If you are standing on the cart path another rule comes into play.

If you then decide to take relief from the cart path (and you don't HAVE to) you would have to drop at the nearest relief point which is probably closer to the lateral hazard.
If you can get "complete" relief - (you stance and ball are not on the path) - then you would play from the dirt.
If there is not enough room to get complete relief between the cart path and lateral then your nearest point would be in the bunker.

I would probably hit the ball from the dirt even if standing on the cart path. I don't like dropping the ball in a bunker since the ball tends to plug.

Here's where knowing the rules helps - If you think you could get a better lie next to the cart path then make that drop. If your ball ends up in a poor lie then you could use the cart path rule to drop in another position (make sure on this drop you take full relief from the path).

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Lateral Hazard Rule

Answer 3

You cannot drop on the "line of flight". I hear many people say this, but there is nothing in the rules that allows it.

You can drop onto the cart path. From there, you can then invoke the Immovable Obstruction rule and get relief from the path.

When you take a drop from the cart path, you get one club length from your nearest point of relief that is not in a hazard or on the green. You might have to go 40 or 50 feet to find that point.

You are allowed two club lengths, so you do not need to drop into the dirt/gravel area. But you can if you want.

For a lateral hazard, you can also go to the other side of the hazard, at a point an equal distance from the hole to where the ball crossed the hazard, and take your drop there.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Lateral hazard rule question...?
My local course has a couple of holes where the fairway has a 10-15 yard wide bunker running along the side of the fairway for the entire length, then a cart path, then a creek with red lateral hazard posts. There is about 3 feet of dirt/grass/gravel between the cart path and the creek.

Now...

Answer 5

Sorry I was wrong with my suggestions earlier, it never occured to me that the line was only for water hazards. The thing to do then is bring your ball to the path, take the nearest drop (which in this case would be somewhere outside the bunker), as already stated. Again, sorry for the confusion.

Answer 6

All correct answers here, but your question also involved stopping the ball with your foot. In a tournament, the ball would have to have rolled outside the 2 club lengths or back into the hazard before you could touch it. I have seen golf tournaments where the caddy waits in the hazard to catch the ball and the announcers make a point of saying he has to be careful not to touch it until it has crossed the line. But not worth losing a new ball over - if you declare your intent before you drop, your playing partners won't begrudge you saving your golf ball.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

too long of a question.....ive lost interest already