Golf Hazard Markers Explained: Colors, Penalty Areas & Proper Ball Drops

Many golfers — even experienced ones — aren’t always sure what to do when their ball lands near those colored stakes on the course. These stakes mark penalty areas (often called “hazards”), and their colors tell you exactly what type of penalty area you’re dealing with. Understanding what each color means — and how to take proper relief — can save you strokes, speed up play, and ensure you’re following the rules. Because these colors are standardized at nearly every course, you’ll be ready for whatever hazard markers you encounter in your next round.

🔴 Red Stakes or Lines – Lateral Penalty Area

• Meaning: A water or other penalty area that runs alongside the hole.

• Options:

  1. Play it as it lies (if you can).

  2. Stroke-and-distance: go back and replay from your last shot.

  3. Drop a ball within two club lengths of where it last crossed the red-marked edge, no nearer the hole.

  4. Or take a point on the opposite edge of the hazard equidistant from the hole and drop within two club lengths (if allowed by the Committee).

• Penalty: One stroke.
  

🟡 Yellow Stakes or Lines – Standard Penalty Area

• Meaning: Typically a water hazard directly between you and the hole.

• Options:

  1. Play it as it lies.

  2. Stroke-and-distance: go back and replay from your last shot.

  3. Take a drop behind the hazard on a line keeping the point where it last crossed between you and the flagstick — go back as far as you like on that line.

• Penalty: One stroke.

  
  

⚪ White Stakes or Lines – Out of Bounds (Not a Penalty Area)

• Meaning: Outside the course boundary.

• Options: – You must replay from the previous spot under stroke-and-distance.

• Penalty: One stroke.

  
  

🔵 Blue Stakes or Lines – Environmentally Sensitive / No-Play Zone

• Meaning: Identifies areas on the course that are protected or under special maintenance (environmentally sensitive, restoration, or “no-play” zones).

• Options: – You may not play a ball from this area.

 – Take free relief or a drop at the nearest point outside the marked area as defined by the Committee (or as local rules specify).

• Penalty:

– No penalty if you take required relief under the Local Rule.

– Playing from the area when it’s prohibited can incur a general penalty (two strokes in stroke play).

Dropping Procedure in Brief

• Use the relief area allowed by the Rule (see above for each color).

• Stand up and drop the ball from knee height.

• Let it come to rest in the relief area — if it rolls out, re-drop once; if it rolls out again, place it.

ALERT To help keep the entire course moving, players should use their best judgment when their ball ends up in a hazard area (especially those marked with white stakes). While not USGA-approved or tournament-legal, the quickest option in casual play is to treat it like a red-stake penalty: drop where you believe the ball entered the hazard, take your stroke penalty, and continue play. In most casual rounds, your group will appreciate this faster approach.