What Is an Out of Bounds Golf Shot Called?

Hitting a golf shot that sails past those little white stakes is one of the most frustrating feelings in the game, but what exactly is it called? A shot that lands out of bounds is simply called… an out of bounds shot, or O.B. for short. While golf has a colorful dictionary of slang for bad shots (shank, chili-dip, worm-burner), this one is official and straightforward. This article will break down exactly what out of bounds means, how the penalty works, what to do when you hit one, and most importantly, how to avoid hitting them in the first place.

Decoding the White Stakes: Identifying Out of Bounds

On a golf course, "Out of Bounds" defines the areas that are not part of the playable course. Think of it like the foul lines in baseball, anything on the wrong side is out of play. A course marks these areas in one of two ways:

• White Stakes: These are the most common indicators of O.B. They are small, typically wooden or plastic posts painted white.
• White Lines: Sometimes, especially along a road or property line, you'll see a white line painted on the ground.

So, when is your ball officially out of bounds? This is where many golfers get confused. For a ball to be considered O.B., the entire ball must be lying beyond the boundary line. The boundary line itself is defined by the innermost points of the white stakes at ground level. Imagine a straight string connecting the inside edge of one white stake to the inside edge of the next. Your entire ball has to be on the "out" side of that imaginary string.

This means if even a tiny sliver of your golf ball is touching the in-bounds side of that line, your ball is safe and in play. You are also allowed to stand out of bounds to play a shot that is in bounds, which can come in handy in tight spots.

The Penalty Box: Understanding the Stroke-and-Distance Rule

Hitting a shot out of bounds is one of the most penalizing mistakes in golf. It falls under what the official Rules of Golf call the “stroke-and-distance” penalty. Breaking this down makes it easy to understand:

• Stroke: You must add one penalty stroke to your score.
• Distance: You lose the "distance" your shot traveled. You must play your next shot from the exact same spot as the previous one.

Let’s walk through a common, real-world example:

1. You are on the tee box, ready to hit your first shot (Stroke 1) on a Par 4.
2. You swing away, but the ball slices hard right and sails over the white stakes. Your ball is O.B.
3. You now have to apply the penalty. You add one penalty stroke (you are now lying 2).
4. You must return to the original spot (the tee box) to play your next shot.
5. The next swing you take from the tee box will be your third stroke on the hole.

As you can see, that one bad wing instantly turned a potential par into a very difficult bogey, and likely a double-bogey or worse. The same rule applies anywhere on the course. If your second shot from the fairway goes out of bounds, you add a penalty stroke and drop a ball as close as possible to where you hit that previous shot, making your next swing your fourth stroke.

The Provisional Ball: Your Best Friend for Pace of Play

Imagine you hit a tee shot that looks like it might have trickled out of bounds, but you aren't sure. Are you supposed to walk 250 yards down the fairway to check, only to have to walk all the way back if it's O.B.? That would grind the pace of play to a halt.

This is where the "provisional ball" comes in. A provisional is a second ball you play - "just in case" your first ball is lost or out of bounds. It’s one of the most important rules for keeping the game moving smoothly.

How to Use a Provisional Ball:

1. Announce Your Intention: This step is non-negotiable. Before you hit the second ball, you must clearly state to your playing partners that you are playing a provisional ball. Say something simple like, "That might be O.B., I'm going to hit a provisional." If you don't announce it, that second ball instantly becomes the ball in play, even if you find your first one in a perfect spot!
2. Play the Provisional Ball: Tee it up and hit your second shot from the same spot as the first.
3. Search for Your Original Ball: Proceed down the hole. You have three minutes to search for your original ball once you get to the area where you think it landed.
4. Decide Which Ball to Play:
   • If you find your original ball in-bounds, you MUST play it. Pick up your provisional ball, it’s no longer in play, and you play your original ball from where it lies with no penalty.
   • If your original ball is confirmed to be out of bounds or you cannot find it within the three-minute search time, your provisional ball is now the ball in play. You lie three (your first shot, one penalty stroke, and your second tee shot which was the provisional).

Playing a provisional ball is a smart, considerate move that saves time and keeps you from having to do the frustrating "walk of shame" back to the tee box.

What About That"2-Stroke Drop" Local Rule?

If you play a lot of casual golf, you may have seen players hit a ball out of bounds and then simply drop another ball up in the fairway near where it went out, taking two penalty strokes. They aren't cheating, they are likely using Model Local Rule E-5.

This is a relatively new rule option designed specifically for recreational golf to improve pace of play. It exists as an alternative to the stroke-and-distance penalty. Instead of walking back to the tee, you can:

1. Estimate Where Your Ball Went O.B.: Find the point on the course where your ball crossed the out-of-bounds line.
2. Find the Nearest Fairway Edge: From that spot, find the nearest edge of the fairway, no closer to the hole.
3. Drop Your Ball: You can drop a ball anywhere between that point on the fairway edge and the point where your ball went O.B.
4. Add Two Strokes: This drop costs you a two-stroke penalty. So, if your tee shot went O.B., you would drop and be hitting your fourth shot.

This essentially puts you in the same position you would have been if youhad hit a provisional well down the fairway. It’s a great rule for keeping a friendly round from getting bogged down, but remember: it is a local rule and doesn't apply in most formal competitions unless the tournament committee has specifically put it into effect.

How to Stop Hitting It Out of Bounds: A Coach's Tips

Understanding the rules is one thing, but avoiding the penalty altogether is the real goal. Here are a few practical coaching tips to keep your ball in play.

1. Prioritize Course Management over Power

The most common cause of an O.B. shot is trying to hit the driver as hard as possible. When you see white stakes lining one a side of the fairway, ask yourself: "Is driver the smart play here?" Hitting a 3-wood, hybrid, or even a long iron into the widest part of the fairway is almost always better than taking a hero swing and risking a penalty stroke. Play to your strengths and away from the trouble.

2. Use the Tee Box to Your Advantage

Create a better angle for yourself. If the out-of-bounds stakes are lining the entire right side of the hole (a slicer's nightmare), don't tee up on the left side of the tee box. That forces you to aim more left, subconsciouslly making you feel like you have to swing more to the right. Instead, tee up on the same side as the trouble. Teeing up on the right side of the box gives you a better angle to aim down the left-center of the fairway, directing your line of play safely away from the O.B. stakes.

3. Focus on a Balanced, Rotational Swing

A wild slice or a snap hook is rarely the result of a smooth, balanced body rotation. It's often caused by an aggressive, arm-dominant swing where you feel like you have to smash the ball. Instead, focus on the summary of a good golf swing: a rounded action created by turning your torso and your hips. Rotate back smoothly, and unwind your body through the ball towards the target. A 90% speed swing that finishes in balance is far more likely to find the fairway than a 110% swing that throws you off your feet.

4. Play the Mental Game: Aim for What You Want

Don't stand over the ball thinking, "Don't hit it right." Your brain will fixate on the very thing you're trying to avoid. Instead, pick a very specific, positive target *in the fairway* - a different colored patch of grass, a single tree in the distance - and commit to swinging towards that target. Don't let the white stakes rent space in your head. Focus on your intended destination, not the potential disaster.

Final Thoughts

An out-of-bounds shot results in a stroke-and-distance penalty, a frustrating rule but a fundamental part of the game. Learning how to properly identify O.B. and use tools like the provisional ball or the local drop rule will not only help you follow the rules correctly but also make you a faster, more courteous golfer.

Making smart on-course choices, like knowing when to club down to avoid O.B. or having a clear strategy for a dangerous hole, is one of the toughest parts of lowering your score. We built Caddie AI to make those decisions easier. My goal with the app is to give you that expert-level caddie advice right in your pocket. If you’re staring down a fairway lined with white stakes, knowing an AI caddie can instantly give you a smart, simple strategy gives you the confidence to commit to the right shot and keep those big penalty strokes off your card.