Andrew Greenfield

Welcome to Rules 101! This page will give you a chance to test your Rules knowledge and bone up on the need-to-know Rules of Golf. E-mail AJGA Director of Education Andrew Greenfield with any questions.

Rule 26: Water Hazards
I played in an AJGA tournament a few weeks ago and on No. 17 I hit my second shot into the lateral water hazard right of the green. I told my fellow competitors that I was going to take line of flight relief and they said OK. I dropped my ball on the line that it entered the lateral water hazard about 50 yards back. I finished the hole from there and made a six.

When I got into the scoring tent the Rules Official asked me how I took relief on No. 17. I told the official I took line of flight relief. He assessed me a two-stoke penalty for playing from a wrong place, but did not disqualify me since I did not incur a serious breach from where I dropped my ball. The Rules Official explained the situation to me, but I think there are many players out there that think line of flight is an option under the Lateral Water Hazard rule. Can you explain this?