Rules question

You take relief from the nearest point of entry, no closer to the hole.

In this case, you can drop to the back right of #8 green

quote:

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You take relief from the nearest point of entry, no closer to the hole.

In this case, you can drop to the back right of #8 green

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This is incorrect

quote:

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This is incorrect

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….?

Just like the players island green, wrap around yellow means you have to cross water again on next shot. So go back where you crossed yellow the first time.

Sorry for the wall of incoming text (from USGA). I thought the rules changed in regards to this. I'm guessing Carter is choosing the yellow stakes behind the hole to preserve the difficulty of the hole (last paragraph)?

Explanation for Rule Change for 2019
8. Concept of “Penalty Areas” to Supersede “Water Hazards”
Current Rule: Rule 26-1 allows relief with penalty when a ball is in a “water hazard” (marked
yellow) or a “lateral water hazard” (marked red).
? These hazards are limited to areas with water or where water may flow; no other areas
may be marked as water hazards, even if they might present similar obstacles to play.
? Water hazards are intended as the norm; lateral water hazards are to be used only
when it is impracticable to drop a ball behind a water hazard under Rule 26-1b.
2019 Rule: Under the new Rules, “Water hazards” will be superseded by the expanded concept
of “penalty areas”, and Rule 17 will provide the same basic options for relief that exist under
the current Rules:
? A penalty area will include both (1) all areas currently defined in the Rules as a water
hazard or lateral water hazard and (2) any other areas the Committee chooses to define
as penalty areas (with recommended guidelines to be provided in the guidebook).
? Penalty areas may therefore include areas such as deserts, jungles, lava rock fields, etc.
? The two types of penalty areas will be known by the colour of their marking: red penalty
areas (today called lateral water hazards) and yellow penalty areas (today called water
hazards); and Committees will be given the discretion to mark all penalty areas as red so
that lateral relief will always be allowed.
? The term “hazard” will no longer be used in the Rules.
Reasons for Change:
? The options to take relief back on a line behind any water hazard (Rule 26-1b) or within
two club-lengths of where a ball entered a lateral water hazard have become important
for pace of play, as the player can usually play from near the hazard rather than having
to go back some distance to play from where the previous stroke was made.
? It has been recognized that requiring areas to contain water seems to be a somewhat
arbitrary reason for permitting such relief options.
? For reasons such as safety and pace of play, many Committees have sought to expand
the use of lateral water hazards by marking areas that do not contain water and by
marking water hazards as red where that is not specifically contemplated by the Rules.
? The broader use of “penalty areas” will allow Committees to respond to the wide range
of settings in which golf is played by giving relief from areas that present similar
obstacles to existing water hazards such as difficulties with finding and playing a ball and
similar practical needs about pace of play.
? Giving Committees the discretion to mark all penalty areas as red will make it simpler
for players to learn the relief options (as the distinction between yellow and red water
hazards is not always well understood) and will further help pace of play.
? Individual Committees will remain free to choose what to mark as a penalty area (and so
for example could decide only to mark traditional water hazards) and when to mark a
penalty area as yellow (such as to preserve the challenge of playing a particular hole).

That's what I'm unsure of lol.

It reads to me like it can be treated like any other hazard, or the course can choose to keep it (to preserve the difficulty of the hole)

You take where the ball went in and the hole and go as far back as you want. If that option is not available (ob) behind hazard then that drop is not allowed. You will then either play it as it lies or rehit from an area close to your last stroke. These types of hazards that wrap around the green should have a drop zone.