What Is a Lateral Drop in Golf?

Finding your ball resting next to a red stake can be a moment of confusion for any golfer, but understanding the lateral drop rule can turn a potential disaster into a manageable recovery. This rule provides a special set of relief options that aren't available for every penalty area, and knowing how to use them correctly is a simple way to play smarter golf. This article will walk you through exactly what a lateral drop is, when you can take one, and the step-by-step process for getting your ball back in play with confidence.

First, What Exactly Is a Red Penalty Area?

Before we can talk about the lateral drop, we need to understand the area it applies to: the red-staked penalty area. On a golf course, you'll see penalty areas (formerly known as hazards) marked with either yellow or red stakes/lines. While both signal trouble, the color tells you what relief options you have.

A yellow penalty area is typically a body of water, like a pond or creek, that crosses the hole. You usually have to hit your ball over it.

A red penalty area is different. It's often a body of water or environmentally sensitive area that runs alongside the hole. Think of a lake that borders the entire left side of the fairway or a ravine that cuts down the right side of a par 3. The rules committee designated these areas "red" because going back to hit again from the original spot after hitting into them would be impractical or would unfairly slow down play.

This is where the term "lateral" comes from. Because the hazard is alongside the hole, the Rules of Golf give you a special option for "lateral relief" - meaning you can drop to the side.

Your Relief Options: Decoding Rule 17

Let's imagine you've hit a slice, and your ball has disappeared into a lake marked with red stakes. Your playing partners agree it went in. What now? Under Rule 17, you get a one-stroke penalty and must choose one of the following relief options.

The "Any Penalty Area" Options (Yellow or Red)

These first two options are available for any penalty area, no matter the color:

• Option 1: Play It as It Lies. If your ball is in the penalty area but sitting on dry ground or in shallow water and you think you can hit it, you have the right to try. There’s no penalty for grounding your club inside a penalty area anymore, so you can test your lie. However, this is often a risky play.
• Option 2: Stroke-and-Distance. This is the classic "go back and do it over." You take a one-stroke penalty and drop a ball in a designated one club-length relief area from where you hit your last shot. If you were on the tee box, you can just tee it up again.

The "Red Penalty Area Only" Options

If you're in a red-staked area, you get two additional options. This is what makes a red penalty area so different.

• Option 3: Back-on-the-Line Relief. You can take a one-stroke penalty and find the point where your ball last entered the penalty area. From there, you go back on a straight line, as far as you want, keeping that entry point between you and the flagstick. You can then drop a ball on that line. This is a good option if dropping laterally would leave you in a bad spot (like behind a tree).
• Option 4: The Lateral Drop (The One We're Here For!). This is often the most popular and easiest choice. You get a one-stroke penalty and the ability to drop within a two-club-length relief area from the point where the ball last crossed into the hazard, no closer to the hole.

Basically, when you see red stakes, you get twice as many choices as you do with yellow stakes. And that fourth option - the lateral drop - is usually your golden ticket for getting back into play quickly and painlessly.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Taking a Lateral Drop

Knowing the option exists is one thing, executing it correctly under pressure is another. Let’s break it down into a simple, repeatable process so you never have to second-guess yourself on the course again.

Step 1: Determine Your Ball's Point of Entry

This is the most important step and the one that causes the most confusion. You and your playing partners need to make your best, most reasonable judgment to pinpoint the exact spot where your ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area.

Pro Tip: A helpful trick is to look for a landmark on the far side of the penalty area that's in line with the ball's flight. Did it fly over a specific a tree, bunker, or sprinkler head? Stand on the fairway side and line that point up with where your ball disappeared to estimate the drop spot more accurately.

Step 2: Establish Your Two-Club-Length Relief Area

Once you've identified your point of entry, take out the longest club in your bag (other than your putter, so for most people, this is your driver). Place one tee or ball marker at the point of entry. Now, lay your driver down twice, end-to-end, moving away from the penalty area, no closer to the hole. The area this creates is your relief zone. It's a semi-circle - two club-lengths deep - where you are allowed to drop.

Remember these two things:

• You must measure from the point of entry, not where the ball eventually came to rest inside the hazard.
• Your relief area cannot be any closer to the hole than that original point of entry.

Step 3: Drop the Ball Correctly

Since the rules changes in 2019, the dropping procedure has been simplified. Follow these quick steps:

1. Stand upright.
2. Hold the ball out at the height of your knee.
3. Drop the ball straight down (don't spin or throw it) so that it lands within your measured two-club-length relief area.

Your ball is officially "in play" as long as it comes to rest inside that relief area and hasn't rolled closer to the hole than your point of entry.

Step 4: Know What to Do If the Ball Rolls

Sometimes, a drop doesn't cooperate, especially on a slope. If your ball lands in the relief area and then rolls:

• Back into the penalty area: You get a free re-drop.
• Outside of your two-club-length relief area: You get a free re-drop.
• Closer to the hole: You get a free re-drop.

If you drop a second time and the same thing happens, you don't keep dropping. You now get to place the ball on the spot where it first hit the ground on that second drop. Once you place it, the ball is in play.

Common Scenarios and Mistakes to Avoid

"I hit it into a yellow hazard. Can I take a lateral drop?"

No. This is a common mistake. The two-club-length lateral relief option is only for red penalty areas. For yellow, you only have the stroke-and-distance or the back-on-the-line options.

"I just dropped it near where I thought it went in."

Don't be careless with your procedure. It's important to make a good-faith effort to identify the correct point of entry and measure correctly. Rushing the process can lead to playing from the wrong place, which could cost you two additional penalty strokes in a competition.

"This lie is terrible! Can I choose a different option?"

Absolutely. Just because lateral relief is an option doesn't mean you have to take it. If dropping within two club-lengths leaves you behind a tree or on a horrible downhill lie, don't be afraid to choose one of your other options. Re-evaluating the stroke-and-distance or the back-on-the-line option might give you a much better chance at your next shot.

Final Thoughts

The lateral drop rule isn't as complicated as it first seems. Knowing that red stakes give you extra relief options gives you more control over a bad situation and helps you make a smarter strategic decision instead of just playing on hope. By understanding how to properly identify your point of entry and measure your relief area, you'll be able to handle any red penalty area on the course like a seasoned professional.

Of course, knowing a rule on paper and applying it on the course are two different things. When you're out there and feel unsure about rules or your smartest recovery choice, we designed Caddie AI to provide instant, expert guidance right in your pocket. You can ask for a quick rules clarification or even snap a photo of a tricky lie in the rough to get immediate advice, taking the guesswork out of tough situations and letting you play with complete confidence.