Red Stakes

[Sats]

At my club we have two areas of red stakes - I've not once been in them. However, I played Bearsted the other day and on one of the holes I hit my shot and pushed it into red stakes - I couldn't find it and then got into a discussion with my playing partners as one said that I should have hit a provisional, I thought with red stakes that you drop laterally and you drop from where it crossed the hazard.

Anyone know what you should do in this circumstance?

 

[Colin L]

The red stakes mark a "Penalty Area" [PA] You should read through Rule 17 to find out about them and what to do if your ball is in one.

In the situation you describe, it seems that you knew your ball was in the penalty area in which case you were not allowed to play a provisional. Your options were to play the ball from in the penalty area without penalty or to take relief outside it with a one stroke penalty. You had three options for relief:
laterally within two club lengths of where your ball last crossed the edge of the PA not nearer the hole; anywhere back on the line from the hole through where your ball last crossed the edge of the PA; stroke and distance playing from where you played your previous shot.

 

[rulefan]

At my club we have two areas of red stakes - I've not once been in them. However, I played Bearsted the other day and on one of the holes I hit my shot and pushed it into red stakes - I couldn't find it and then got into a discussion with my playing partners as one said that I should have hit a provisional, I thought with red stakes that you drop laterally and you drop from where it crossed the hazard.

Anyone know what you should do in this circumstance?

Not trying to be rude but perhaps you should get a copy of the rules. Your club should have a free supply.
Alternatively go to here https://www.usga.org/content/usga/h...nterpretations.html#!ruletype=pe&section=fore

 

[jim8flog]

At my club we have two areas of red stakes - I've not once been in them. However, I played Bearsted the other day and on one of the holes I hit my shot and pushed it into red stakes - I couldn't find it and then got into a discussion with my playing partners as one said that I should have hit a provisional, I thought with red stakes that you drop laterally and you drop from where it crossed the hazard.

Anyone know what you should do in this circumstance?

You would be amazed how many players think they can play a 'provisional' for nearly every circumstance.

There are only 2 circumstances where you can play a provisional ball

18.3 Provisional Ball
a. When Provisional Ball Is Allowed
If a ball might be lost outside a penalty area or be out of bounds, to save time the player may play another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 14.6).

Note
But if the player is aware that the only possible place the original ball could be lost is in a penalty area, a provisional ball is not allowed and a ball played from where the previous stroke was made becomes the player’s ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.1).

 

[Sats]

Not trying to be rude but perhaps you should get a copy of the rules. Your club should have a free supply.
Alternatively go to here https://www.usga.org/content/usga/h...nterpretations.html#!ruletype=pe&section=fore

I've just downloaded the R&A app for my phone - not going to lie, it's not the easiest read

 

[Sats]

The red stakes mark a "Penalty Area" [PA] You should read through Rule 17 to find out about them and what to do if your ball is in one.

In the situation you describe, it seems that you knew your ball was in the penalty area in which case you were not allowed to play a provisional. Your options were to play the ball from in the penalty area without penalty or to take relief outside it with a one stroke penalty. You had three options for relief:
laterally within two club lengths of where your ball last crossed the edge of the PA not nearer the hole; anywhere back on the line from the hole through where your ball last crossed the edge of the PA; stroke and distance playing from where you played your previous shot.

Exactly that I knew it went into the penalty area - searched and it was long gone, hence my thought of dropping laterally from where I believed it crossed the hazard at a one stroke penalty. I must admit I thought with Red staked hazards then only a lateral drop was the option.

 

[rulefan]

I've just downloaded the R&A app for my phone - not going to lie, it's not the easiest read

I have found the USGA version easier