Lateral Hazards(Red Stakes)

[Naterater]

If you hit into a lateral hazard (as defined by red stakes), and you find your ball in that area, can you hit from that point with no penalty? I had a guy do this twice today. As well as cheat twice on his score. Those two scores aren't even the two in question where he hit out of the hazard. Thanks for any help.

[Zeph]

Yes, you can hit the ball from pretty much anywhere on the course, except if it is forbidden through local rules or ground under repair and similar situations.

You can hit the ball from any hazard, water, lateral or bunker.

Just make sure you don't move or touch any loose impediments, like twigs, rocks, pine cones etc. You cannot ground the club either. It is allowed to brush growing plants like grass, trees etc. through the entire swing. Hitting loose impediments is allowed on the downswing, from the top. Touching a lose twig on the backswing will give you a penalty.

[Naterater]

Thank you for the quick response Zeph. So as a follow up, if these areas are deemed "environmentally sensitive areas that you are not allowed to enter. Play these areas as a lateral water hazard." Does that qualify as a local rule? If, so, what is the penalty?

[Zeph]

If the local rules state that you are not allowed to enter, you are not allowed to enter, as simple as that. It would make these areas like a pond; you are inside a water hazard and unable to play or recover the ball. That would leave you with the option to drop the ball according to the rules. I don't know what the situation would be if you broke a rule like that. If it should be stated in the local rules the penalty of breaching them.

Source: USGA
3. Areas of the Course Requiring Preservation; Environmentally-Sensitive Areas

Assisting preservation of the course by defining areas, including turf nurseries, young plantations and other parts of the course under cultivation, as ground under repair from which play is prohibited.

When the Committee is required to prohibit play from environmentally-sensitive areas that are on or adjoin the course, it should make a Local Rule clarifying the relief procedure.

I have played on courses where such areas give you relief, with the option to drop out without penalty. You could find and hit the ball from inside the areas, but because of watering tubes on the ground, they created a local rule, giving you relief.

The problem with declaring the area as a lateral hazard and at the same time prohibiting anyone to enter it, is that you can't play from the area according to the rules of a lateral water hazard. Someone else might be able to give a answer to wether the course should change this rule, or if you just have to accept it and drop the ball. If so, does it say anywhere in the rules what penalty to give?

[Bullitt5339]

I played on a course Friday that had an environmentally protected area, (woodpeckers) and the rules were posted as to what to do, and the penalty for hitting into these areas at the clubhouse and on the golf cart. I believe it was also on the scorecard. One in our group sliced into the area, so we went to the local rules. It was deemed as OB on this course, since it was down the side of the hole. He couldn't go in to get his ball, and had to rehit from the tee.

There's another area that's marked, and you are given a free drop from the drop area, since it would be an easily playable ball, but you aren't allowed in the area.