Lateral Hazard
A lateral hazard in golf is a body of water, dense brush, or other trouble area that runs alongside a hole rather than crossing it, and is marked with red stakes or red lines. Under the current Rules of Golf, it is officially called a red penalty area, but many golfers still use the older term.
What is a lateral hazard?
Position is what makes a hazard “lateral.” These hazards sit parallel to the line of play on a hole, like a pond running down the right side of a fairway or a creek flanking a par 5 from tee to green. The word “lateral” refers to position: the hazard runs to the side of play, not across it.
The term itself is now out of date. In January 2019, the USGA and R&A overhauled the Rules of Golf, and “water hazard” and “lateral water hazard” were replaced by the broader concept of penalty areas, per the USGA’s official summary of changes. A red penalty area covers what used to be a lateral water hazard.
The 2019 update also widened what counts. A penalty area can include water, but also areas of desert, jungle, lava rock, or thick brush that a course Committee chooses to mark, according to USGA guidance. Most golfers still say “lateral hazard” in casual conversation, and the practical meaning has not changed. The official terminology has.
How a lateral hazard is marked
Red is the color to look for. A lateral hazard is identified by red stakes, a red line painted on the ground, or both. When stakes and a line are used together, the line defines the boundary and the stakes act as visual markers, the USGA notes. A ball is considered inside the hazard when any part of it touches the line or sits within the marked area.
Yellow stakes or lines mark the other kind of penalty area, where the relief options are different. Under the 2019 rules, red is the default color for penalty areas, but a course Committee can mark an area yellow where it is appropriate to require a drop behind the hazard.
Lateral hazard vs. water hazard
Most confusion about lateral hazards comes from telling them apart from regular water hazards. Both are categorized as penalty areas under Rule 17, but they offer different relief options, and the distinction matters when a ball ends up in trouble.
A lateral (red) penalty area runs alongside a hole. Because it can stretch the entire length of a fairway, the standard option of dropping behind the hazard is often not available. A creek running 400 yards along the fairway has nowhere meaningful “behind” it. The red marking signals that a third, lateral relief option is available.
A standard water (yellow) penalty area typically crosses the line of play, often in front of a green, where dropping behind it is usually workable.
| Feature | Lateral hazard (red) | Water hazard (yellow) |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | Red stakes or red line | Yellow stakes or yellow line |
| Typical position | Parallel to the hole | Across the line of play |
| Penalty for relief | One stroke | One stroke |
| Back-on-the-line relief | Available | Available |
| Lateral relief (two club-lengths) | Available | Not available |
Relief options from a lateral hazard
When a ball lands in a lateral hazard, a player has four choices. Three carry a one-stroke penalty. The fourth does not.
Play it as it lies
If the ball is findable and the lie is reasonable, a player can simply hit it. The 2019 rules allow grounding the club in a penalty area and moving loose impediments such as leaves and pebbles, per USGA guidance. None of this carries a penalty. Players may also take practice swings that touch the ground, though the option is only worth attempting when the lie allows for a clean strike at the ball.
Stroke-and-distance relief
For a one-stroke penalty, the player replays from where the previous stroke was made. This is the universal do-over, available for any errant shot.
Back-on-the-line relief
This option, also one stroke, sends the player back along the line that runs from the hole through the point where the ball last crossed the hazard edge. A drop can be taken as far back on that line as desired, according to R&A guidance.
Lateral relief
Only red penalty areas allow this third option. For a one-stroke penalty, the player drops within two club-lengths of where the ball last crossed the edge of the hazard, no closer to the hole. Yellow penalty areas do not allow lateral relief, per USGA Rule 17.
A note on the older rules: before 2019, a fifth option existed, allowing a drop on the opposite side of the hazard at a point equidistant from the hole. The 2019 overhaul removed it as a default, the USGA confirms. It now exists only when a course Committee adopts a specific Local Rule. Many older golf articles still list this option, but it is no longer part of the standard rules.
Related Golf Terms
- Lag — Maintaining the angle between the club shaft and the lead arm during the downswing.
- Knife — To hit a low, thin shot, usually with an iron.
- Lag putt — A long putt intended to get the ball close to the hole rather than in it.
- Kick — An unexpected bounce of the ball after landing.
- Knockdown shot — A low-trajectory shot played to keep the ball under wind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color are lateral hazards marked with?
Lateral hazards are marked with red stakes, red lines painted on the ground, or both. When both are used, the red line defines the boundary of the hazard.
Is a lateral hazard the same thing as a penalty area?
Essentially yes. “Lateral hazard” was the older name; since January 2019, the official term is “red penalty area,” per the USGA. Most golfers use the terms interchangeably.
What is the penalty for hitting into a lateral hazard?
One penalty stroke if a player chooses to take relief and drop the ball. There is no penalty if the ball is played as it lies from inside the hazard.
Can a player play out of a lateral hazard?
Yes, when the ball is findable, and the lie allows a clean strike. The 2019 rules removed the old prohibition on grounding the club or moving loose impediments in a penalty area.
Why did the rule terminology change in 2019?
The USGA and R&A wanted to expand the concept beyond water. Penalty areas can now include deserts, jungles, dense brush, or any trouble area a Committee marks.
Sources
- USGA. “Penalty Areas.” Rules Hub.
- USGA. “Major Change: Areas the Committee May Mark as Penalty Areas.” Rules Modernization, 2019.
- USGA. “Major Change: Elimination of Opposite Side Relief for Red Penalty Areas.” Rules Modernization, 2019.
- USGA. “Golf’s New Rules: Changing Terminology.” April 2019.
- R&A. “Relief options from red penalty area.” Players’ Rule Finder.
- Golf Monthly. “Red Stakes In Golf: Everything You Need To Know!” 2023.
