White stakes or lines mark the edge of the course. A ball outside them is out of bounds, and you take one penalty stroke and play again from where you last hit. Yellow and red mark penalty areas, which are usually water. Relief from either costs one penalty stroke, and red gives you one extra option, a lateral drop. If a penalty area has no colour marked, it is treated as red.
The ChartWhat each colour means and what it costs
| Colour | What it marks | Your options | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| White stakes or lines | Out of bounds. The boundary edge of the course. | Stroke-and-distance only: play a ball from where the previous stroke was made (Rule 18.2b). | One penalty stroke |
| Yellow stakes or lines | A yellow penalty area. | Play the ball as it lies, or take relief with two options: stroke-and-distance, or back-on-the-line (Rules 17.1b and 17.1d). | No penalty if you play it. One penalty stroke for either relief option. |
| Red stakes or lines | A red penalty area. | Play the ball as it lies, or take the same two options as yellow, plus lateral relief within two club-lengths (Rule 17.1d(3)). | No penalty if you play it. One penalty stroke for any relief option. |
| No colour marked on a penalty area | A penalty area where the Committee has not marked or indicated the colour. | Treated as a red penalty area, so all three options. | One penalty stroke for relief |
Source: The R&A, Rules of Golf, definitions of Out of Bounds and Penalty Area; Rules 17.1b, 17.1d and 18.2b.
Two points the chart packs in. Boundary stakes or lines "should be" white, so the rulebook sets the standard but the course decides what it paints. And a body of water on the course is a penalty area whether or not anyone has marked it.
The LineWhere the edge actually is
The stake is not the edge. The rules say where the edge sits, and it is different for a boundary and for a penalty area. The stakes themselves also end up on opposite sides of their line.
| Marker | White: out of bounds | Yellow or red: penalty area |
|---|---|---|
| Stakes | The edge is the line between the course-side points of the stakes at ground level. The stakes themselves are out of bounds. | The edge is the line between the outside points of the stakes at ground level. The stakes are inside the penalty area. |
| Painted line | The edge is the course-side edge of the line. The line itself is out of bounds. | The edge is the outside edge of the line. The line itself is in the penalty area. |
| When is the ball in or out? | Out of bounds only when all of the ball is outside the boundary edge (Rule 18.2a). | In the penalty area when any part of the ball touches the ground inside the edge or is above the edge (Rule 17.1a). |
Source: The R&A, Rules of Golf, definitions of Out of Bounds and Penalty Area; Rules 17.1a and 18.2a.
That last row settles most arguments. A ball touching the course side of a white line is not out of bounds. A ball that just touches a yellow or red line is in the penalty area.
The Tee BoxThe teeing area: two club-lengths deep
The teeing area is not the whole patch of mown grass. It is a rectangle set by two tee-markers, and you start the hole from inside it.
| Part | The rule |
|---|---|
| Depth | Two club-lengths deep. |
| Front edge | The line between the forward-most points of the two tee-markers. |
| Side edges | The lines back from the outside points of the tee-markers. |
| A club-length | The length of the longest of your clubs other than the putter, among the 14 or fewer you have during the round. |
| Is the ball in the area? | Yes, when any part of the ball touches or is above any part of the teeing area. You may stand outside the area to hit it (Rule 6.2b(1)). |
| Tee | No longer than four inches (101.6 mm). |
Source: The R&A, Rules of Golf, definitions of Teeing Area, Club-Length and Tee; Rule 6.2b.
You do not set the tee-markers. The Committee does, and they should stay in the same place for everyone who plays from that teeing area.
What it costs to get the tee box wrong
| Mistake | Match play | Stroke play |
|---|---|---|
| Start the hole from outside the teeing area (Rule 6.1b) | No penalty, but your opponent may cancel the stroke. If they do not, the stroke counts and you play it as it lies. | Two penalty strokes. The stroke does not count, and you must play again from inside the teeing area. |
| Move a tee-marker to improve your stroke (Rule 6.2b(4)) | General penalty: loss of hole | General penalty: two penalty strokes |
Source: The R&A, Rules of Golf, Rules 6.1b and 6.2b(4) and the definition of General Penalty.
In stroke play, if you do not correct a start from outside the teeing area before you hit a tee shot on the next hole, or before you return your scorecard after the last hole, you are disqualified.
Using itHow to use this on the course
White. If your ball might be out of bounds, you may play a provisional ball to save time (Rule 18.3). If it is out, you add one penalty stroke and play again from where you hit the last one.
Yellow. Play the ball if it is playable, with no penalty. If not, take a stroke-and-distance drop, or go back on the line between the hole and the point where the ball last crossed the edge, as far back as you like. The spot where the dropped ball first touches the ground sets a relief area one club-length in any direction.
Red. The same as yellow, plus a drop to the side. The reference point is where the ball last crossed the edge of the red area, and the relief area is two club-lengths from there, no nearer the hole.
For the full drop procedure and what to do in each situation, see the relief cheat sheet. If you are choosing which tee box to play from, the tee chooser is the place to start.
The rulebook names white, yellow and red. Clubs may mark other things their own way, ground under repair most of all: the definition says it is whatever the Committee defines, "whether by marking it or otherwise". If you see a stake, line or ribbon in a colour not listed here, check the scorecard or the local rules sheet, or ask in the pro shop.
Watch forCommon mistakes
Taking a lateral drop from a yellow area. The lateral option is for red areas only (Rule 17.1d(3)). From yellow, your two choices are stroke-and-distance and back-on-the-line.
Thinking no stakes means no penalty area. Any body of water on the course is a penalty area, marked or not, and so is a ditch with no water in it. If the colour was not marked, treat it as red.
Calling a ball out because it is next to a white stake. The ball has to be completely outside the boundary edge. Any part of it on or over the course side keeps it in bounds.
Expecting free relief from a boundary stake. The definition of a boundary object says free relief is not allowed, and boundary objects are treated as immovable.
Hitting from in front of the markers. The front edge is the line between the forward-most points of the two tee-markers. A ball played from entirely outside the teeing area costs two penalty strokes and a replay in stroke play.
Teeing up on a long tee. A tee is four inches (101.6 mm) at most.
For the other terms on this page in plain English, see the golf glossary.
FAQQuick answers
What do white stakes mean in golf?
White stakes or lines mark the boundary edge of the course. A ball completely outside that edge is out of bounds, and you take one penalty stroke and play again from where you hit the previous shot (Rule 18.2b).
What is the difference between yellow and red stakes?
Both mark a penalty area, and relief costs one penalty stroke either way. Yellow gives you two relief options, stroke-and-distance and back-on-the-line. Red adds a third, lateral relief within two club-lengths of where the ball last crossed the edge (Rule 17.1d).
What if a penalty area has no coloured stakes or lines?
If the Committee has not marked or indicated the colour, it is treated as a red penalty area. A body of water on the course is a penalty area whether or not it is marked.
Do I have to take relief from a penalty area?
No. You may play the ball as it lies with no penalty, under the same rules that apply to a ball in the general area (Rule 17.1b). Relief is optional and costs one stroke.
How big is the teeing area?
It is a rectangle two club-lengths deep. The front edge is the line between the forward-most points of the two tee-markers, and the side edges run back from the outside points of the markers. A club-length is the length of your longest club other than the putter.
What colour marks ground under repair?
The rulebook leaves it to the Committee, which can mark it or define it some other way. Check the scorecard or the local rules sheet at your course.