Lateral Hazard question

[daSeth]

My course has areas of long grass along the sides of the holes, some of which are marked with red stakes and occasionally with painted red lines (for tournaments) indicating lateral hazard.  On a couple of instances, I have tried to play a ball in the hazard (not grounding club) and failed to get the ball out of the hazard.  What are my options at that point?  And more specifically, is there still an option to drop where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard albeit on the previous stroke?  I assume of course the option exists to play again in the hazard.

[bubble]

yes you may take releif as you described.

of course your missed shot is accounted for.

[Rulesman]

The full details are here ->

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-26/#26-2

[stangmark]

You can declare the ball unplayable, and follow those applicable rules, at the cost of one stroke; or play it as it lies.

[Rulesman]

Originally Posted by stangmark

You can declare the ball unplayable, and follow those applicable rules, at the cost of one stroke; or play it as it lies.

To be accurate, you cannot declare the ball to be unplayable if it is in a water hazard. You can however take penalty relief as described.