Is it a penalty if your ball lands in a water (penalty) area?
By The Fairway Labs TeamReviewed
Penalty areas
Penalty: One stroke
Is it a penalty if your ball lands in a water (penalty) area?
PenaltyOne stroke· under Rule 17
What to do
- 1You may always play the ball as it lies with no penalty.
- 2If not, add one penalty stroke.
- 3Yellow area: drop back on the line from where the ball last crossed the edge, or replay from your previous spot.
- 4Red area: also drop within two club-lengths of where it crossed, no nearer the hole.
Based on the modern Rules of Golf (Rule 17), as published by the USGA and The R&A and effective from the 2019 revision. Local rules can modify some situations — check the scorecard or with the committee when in doubt.
Related rulings
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