Rules Red Stakes Woods

the course I play has an area with very tall, thick grass. They have it marked like a lateral hazard (red stakes). If you find your ball, you can opt to take a drop like a lateral, or if you want to play it, you can ground your club and move loose impediments just as if it were not a lateral hazard. If you don't find it, then you can take a drop at the point of entry. I hate that they play it this way. If you it in there and can't find it.... back to the tee you go.

My father tells me that you must find your ball in the woods if it is red stakes in order to take the lateral drop.

6-1/1 Meaning of "Known or Virtually Certain" If a ball has been struck towards a water hazard and has not been found, the term "known or virtually certain" indicates the level of confidence that the ball is in the water hazard that is required for the player to proceed under Rule 26-1. A player may not assume that his ball is in a water hazard simply because there is a possibility that the ball may be in the hazard. If it is not known that the ball is in the water hazard, in order for the player to proceed under Rule 26-1 there must be almost no doubt that the ball is in the hazard. Otherwise, a ball that cannot be found must be considered lost outside the hazard and the player must proceed under Rule 27-1. All available evidence must be taken into account in determining whether knowledge or virtual certainty exists, including any testimony and the physical conditions in the area around the water hazard. For example, if a water hazard is surrounded by a fairway on which a ball could hardly be lost, there exists a greater certainty that the ball is in the hazard than there would be if there were deep rough in the area. Observing a ball splash in a water hazard would not necessarily provide knowledge or virtual certainty as to the location of the ball as sometimes such a ball may skip out of a hazard.

the course I play has an area with very tall, thick grass. They have it marked like a lateral hazard (red stakes). If you find your ball, you can opt to take a drop like a lateral, or if you want to play it, you can ground your club and move loose impediments just as if it were not a lateral hazard. If you don't find it, then you can take a drop at the point of entry. I hate that they play it this way. If you it in there and can't find it.... back to the tee you go.

Boy is that contrary to the rules of golf. I know some courses like to mark things as lateral hazards to speed up play, but to then say if you find it pretend the red stakes aren't there, that's going a little too far.

I local course has "natural" areas red staked. There isn't water there but you are supposed to play it as if there was. You also aren't supposed to go into red staked natural areas to look for your ball. They are "environmentally sensitive" and as such you are supposed to stay out. Hence the red stake (I suppose). You don't often see golfers wading around in water hazards looking for their ball. Since this course has a lot of these red staked areas I suppose they feel it is more fair to stake them red rather than white O.B. If they were staked white O.B. it would no doubt slow down play significantly and take an even worse toll on your scorecard.

I local course has "natural" areas red staked. There isn't water there but you are supposed to play it as if there was. You also aren't supposed to go into red staked natural areas to look for your ball. They are "environmentally sensitive" and as such you are supposed to stay out. Hence the red stake (I suppose). You don't often see golfers wading around in water hazards looking for their ball. Since this course has a lot of these red staked areas I suppose they feel it is more fair to stake them red rather than white O.B. If they were staked white O.B. it would no doubt slow down play significantly and take an even worse toll on your scorecard.

Not sure I understand why staking these natural areas as Red (lateral hazard) is better than staking them as White (OOB). The reason I ask is that technically, you are allowed to hit out of a hazard (assuming you can find your ball). You are NOT allowed to play from OOB. By staking it Red, it seems that would "tempt" some guys to hop over and play from the hazard. As long as they don't ground their club, they would be correct, as far as the rules go. By staking it white/OOB, that would ensure that no one is going to swing their club in these natural areas, and potentially damage a protected area.

USGA Rules Govern All Play Local Rules Environmentally sensitive areas: Played as water hazards or lateral hazards designated by red or yellow stakes. Please respect our facility and the natural beauty of these protected areas by not entering them.

On the course's score card they have printed that you are not permited to enter red staked "natural" areas.

I understand water hazard red stakes. I thought I understood red stakes in general but maybe not.