Red vs. Yellow Water Hazards

Can someone who actually knows the rules of golf explain the real difference as to what the water hazard rules are concerning those marked with yellow stakes and lines vs. those with red stakes and lines?  Is there a difference concerning where the next shot is played?  If so, what is it?  Also, when can the next shot be played on the far side of the water hazard?

Thanks.

Thanks.  That article is one of the simplest and easiest to understand articles that I have seen on the subject.  It's a lot clearer that the USGA rulebook.

But inaccurate.

sometimes a part of the golf course - say, a seasonal creek, or a ditch - might be designated a water hazard even though there is rarely (or never) water in it.

If it never contains water it can nev er br a water hazard.

Then talk to your course about it. Just because a ditch doesn't have water in it, doesn't mean it can't be a water hazard at some point. If its marked with the stakes, then you'll just have to suck it up and deal with it.

Make sure you, saevel25, understand the relevant parts of Definition of Water Hazard. It requires that the area to be a water carrying or water containing formation. It's not necessary that it contain water at the moment a player encounters the yellow or red stakes, but it must conform to the Definition. Any old low spot doesn't qualify unless it is or occasionally serves as an open water course.

A “ water hazard ’’ is any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (whether or not containing water) and anything of a similar nature on the course .

It's not my course.

I was pointing out that the article was wrong.

How can any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course be a sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course if it never contains water?