Ruling

[Ronny944]

My buddy hit a shot right, hit an outhouse and came backwards into the lake. What are his options?

[turtleback]

Assuming the hazard is not marked as a lateral:

1) He can hit again from the as close as possible to the spot he hit from with a penalty stroke (i.e., if it was his second shot that went into the water he would be hitting 4)

2) He can drop a ball, keeping the spot the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard between him and the hole, as far back as he wants (i.e., on the other side of the lake) with a penalty stroke - again hitting 4.

3) He can try to play the ball out of the hazard without penalty.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Ronny944

My buddy hit a shot right, hit an outhouse and came backwards into the lake. What are his options?

More information please.  Is it a regular water hazard (yellow stakes) or a lateral water hazard (red stakes)?  How large is the lake?  Is there a place where the ball can be dropped outside of the hazard on the line from the hole through the point where the ball last crossed the hazard margin, but not closer to the hole than that point?  Please give us a better description of the situation, then maybe we can give a more accurate ruling.