December 10, 2010

WARREN, PA — As Kelly Smith golfed along with his companions he found himself out-of-bounds. He started to consider the rule and his options. He has chosen to discuss the "white stakes and lines" as part of the Carl Spackler Open educational period, which continues through winter.

"I often consider those beginning golfers, who have little if any knowledge about the many hazards, how they are marked and how they should be played," said Smith. "It brought me back to early days as a golfer and the confusion I often suffered when I hit the ball past a colored stake."

The out of bounds line extends vertically upward and downward.

On a golf course there are generally 3 different colored stakes used to define 3 different hazards and there associated penalties. Sometimes these stakes are also represented by colored lines painted on to the ground. Whether the course uses a stake or line doesn't matter, and the penalties are the same.

White stakes or white lines are used to indicate out-of-bounds. (A course can mark out-of-bounds in other ways, too; for example, a fence might mark the boundary along certain parts of a course.) "White-stakes originated from property lines. In almost all cases, out-of-bounds is generally off golf course property," says Kelly Smith. "Golfers should not be walking into non-golf course property to play or look for their golf ball."

When stakes (or a fence) indicate out-of-bounds, then out-of-bounds begins at the nearest inside point of the stakes at ground level (excluding any kind of angled supports). When a line is used to indicate out-of-bounds, the line itself is out-of-bounds.

Out-of-bounds brings the dreaded stroke-and-distance penalty - a golfer must assess himself a 1-stroke penalty, return to the spot of the previous shot and hit it again.

"Of course, that's time consuming," says Smith. "So when a golfer believes his ball may be OB, it's a good idea to hit a provisional ball." Rules governing out-of-bounds and provisional balls are covered in Rule 27.

The Carl Spackler Open does support a drop from where the ball crossed the out-of-bounds line, but with a two-stroke penalty. The additional rule allowance was added for pace of play concerns.

White lines are also frequently used in bounds to designate "ground under repair". There is no penalty for ground under repair, but a free drop.

It is also important to note that all lines and stakes are considered part of the hazard.

"Can you stand out-of-bounds and play a ball in bounds?" asked Dave Osborne. Smith replied, "Yes." Osborne asked, "Can you play a ball that hits a house and bounces back into play?" Smith replied, "Yes. A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds."

Osborne asked, "What is the rule when my opponent hits his drive out-of-bounds, over a road, and finished in the rough of another hole across the road?" Smith replid, "Great question. The ball is playable with no penalty unless a local rule states otherwise."

The out-of-bounds rule is very penal, but clear. Hit it out-of-bounds or close to out-of-bounds... drop a ball and hit another as a provisional.