The basic rules for hazards: procedures in bunker and water

Golf is a sport of hazards, and the way a player handles them is strictly determined by the official rules of golf. For a beginning golfer, the procedures for a ball in a bunker or water hazard (officially called "penalty areas") can be intimidating. Applying these rules correctly, however, is essential for a fair game and prevents unnecessary penalty strokes. In this article, we cover the formal steps you should take when your ball ends up in one of these situations.

1. The bunker: rules in the sand

A bunker is considered a specially prepared part of the course, designed to test the player's skill. Since the major rule changes of 2019 and the updates of 2023 and 2024, the rules have been relaxed, but important restrictions remain.

What is allowed?

You may remove loose natural objects (such as leaves, twigs or stones) from the bunker, provided you do not move the ball in the process. You may also lay your clubs in the bunker as long as you do not deliberately test or improve the condition of the surface.

What is not allowed?

To safeguard the integrity of the hazard, you may not touch the ground in the bunker with your hand or club in the following situations:

• Directly in front of or behind the ball when making a practice swing.
• During the backswing of your actual stroke.
• To test the state of the sand (for example by digging with the club).

Unplayable ball in the bunker

If the ball lies so badly that you cannot play it, you have three options with one penalty stroke:

1. Play the ball from the spot where you made your previous stroke.
2. Drop the ball straight back on the line between the hole and the spot where the ball lay (within the bunker).
3. Drop the ball sideways within two club lengths (within the bunker). Recently, a fourth option has been added with two penalty strokes: you may drop the ball outside the bunker on the line straight back.

2. Penalty areas: when the ball goes in the water

Since 2019, we no longer speak of "water hazards" but of penalty areas. They are marked with yellow or red stakes or lines. The colour determines your procedural options.

Yellow penalty area (frontal hazard)

With a yellow marking, in addition to playing the ball as it lies (without penalty stroke), you have two options with one penalty stroke:

1. Stroke and distance: Play a ball from the spot where the previous stroke was made.
2. Back-on-the-line relief: You determine the point where the ball last crossed the edge of the hazard. On the line connecting that point and the hole, you may go as far back as you wish to drop.

Red penalty area (lateral hazard)

Red markings offer more flexibility, often because going straight back is geographically impossible. In addition to the yellow options, you get an extra possibility with one penalty stroke:

• Lateral relief: You may drop the ball within two club lengths of the point where the ball crossed the edge, no nearer to the hole.

3. General conduct rules and procedures

When dropping a ball in these situations, the standard procedure always applies: you drop the ball from knee height straight down. The ball must remain within the defined drop area (the "relief area") and may not end up nearer to the hole.

There is also an important rule for the bunker after play: raking. While forgetting to rake does not directly result in a penalty stroke, it is considered a fundamental part of etiquette. The aim is to leave the bunker in the same or better condition for the next player, so they do not have to play out of your footprint.

Conclusion

The procedures for hazards are designed to keep the game moving when an ideal situation turns into a challenging one. Whether the ball lies in the sand or in the water, the rules offer a structured path to the next stroke. Knowing these procedures lets you play with more confidence and respects the centuries-old principles of fairness that define the game of golf.