Your ball lies partially on a red or yellow painted penalty area line and partially on the Golf Course. Is your ball in the penalty area?
Rule 2.2c Determining Area of Course Where Ball Lies
The area of the course where a player’s ball lies affects the Rules that apply in playing the ball or taking relief.
A ball is always treated as lying in only one area of the course.
If part of the ball is in two specific areas of the course, it is treated as lying in the specific area that comes first in this order: penalty area, bunker, putting green.
In the Question above your ball is in the penalty area.
Question 2
Your ball is partially on a white out of bounds area line and partially on the Golf Course. Is your ball out of bounds?
Rule 18.2a: When Ball Is Out of Bounds
A ball is out of bounds only when ALL of it is outside the boundary edge of the course.
For a ball to be out of bounds the ball needs to be completely on or completely over the white line.
In Question 2 your ball is Not completely on or over the white line so your ball is in bounds.
There is a difference between red penalty area lines and white out of bound lines.
Next month my article will be about red penalty area lines painted on the cart path.
Here is this month’s golf etiquette tip: Just a reminder. We are getting back into season and shotgun starts will be happening. On shotgun start days the balls on the driving range are for warming up. Hit 12 to 15 balls than make the area available for other players waiting to warm-up.
