Lateral Water Hazard Question

[Eore]

We had a meeting for frosh golf today, and went over the basic etiquete rules for the brain dead(some kids think its ok to talk on their phones every hole), and hazard rules. our coach is nice, but when we went over lateral hazard rules, I think he missed one.

he said you can
1. play the ball (no penalty)
2. take stroke and distance, re-tee
3. two club lengths no closer to the hole (just stroke)
4. go back as far as you want on a line to the hole (just stroke)

i thought that you could go to the other side of the hazard or something, and he said he had never heard of that. i would check my rule book, but its in california with my dad. am i crazy, or was i right?

[ganjagolfer]

eore, you are not crazy, that is a rule for californians and as well a valid rule practiced by my mom and her lady friends over 70 else they fill up the ponds with golf balls

[Three Putt]

Your right.

on #4, you can go back as far as you want keeping the point where the pellet crossed the margin of the hazard and the hole in a straight line.

and you can choose to drop on the opposite side of the lateral water hazard, equidistant from the hole. 2 club lenghts, no nearer to the hole.