Greetings, colorblind clubbers and stake-befuddled swingers! It’s your favorite chromatically-challenged chipper, Linda, here to unravel the mystery of red vs yellow stakes in golf. Buckle up, because this is more confusing than trying to read a greens book after your third round of “water hazard roulette” with those Kirkland balls.
The Great Golf Stake Debate
Let’s start with a basic truth: golf course designers have a sick sense of humor. As if the game wasn’t hard enough, they decided to scatter colorful sticks all over the course like some deranged Easter Bunny. And just to keep us on our toes, they made them mean different things. Because why not?
Red Stakes: Not Just for Valentine’s Day Anymore

First up, we have the red stakes. No, they’re not marking the spots where golfers’ dreams go to die (that’s everywhere on the course).
Red stakes indicate a lateral water hazard. In normal people speak, that means:
- Water that runs alongside the fairway
- Areas where you’re likely to lose your ball (and your dignity)
- A great excuse to break out that neon yellow Kirkland ball you’ve been saving for a special occasion
When your ball finds its way into a red-staked area, you have options:
- Play it as it lies (if you’re part amphibian)
- Take a one-stroke penalty and drop within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed the hazard line
- Go back to where you hit the original shot, take a penalty, and try again (because you didn’t embarrass yourself enough the first time)
The Great Red Stake Fiasco of 2022
Let me tell you about the time I encountered red stakes at Torrey Pines. There I was, standing on the 18th tee, feeling pretty good about my round. I’d only lost 11 balls so far – a personal best!
I hit my drive, and it sailed majestically… right towards a red-staked area. As I trudged over, I realized I had a decision to make. Should I channel my inner Bear Grylls and wade in? Or take the drop and preserve what was left of my dignity (and dry socks)?
I chose option C: panic and ask the beer cart girl for advice. She suggested I take a drop and a shot of tequila. I’m still not sure which one helped my score more.

Yellow Stakes: The Golf Course’s Version of a Caution Sign

Now, let’s talk about yellow stakes. These are the golf course’s way of saying, “Hey buddy, there’s trouble ahead, but at least we’re giving you a heads up!”
Yellow stakes mark water hazards that are generally in front of you, like a pond or a stream you need to cross. When your ball decides to go for a swim in a yellow-staked area, you’ve got options:
- Play it as it lies (hope you brought your snorkel)
- Take a one-stroke penalty and drop behind the hazard, keeping the point where the ball last crossed the hazard line between you and the hole
- Go back to where you hit the original shot and try again (because you’re a glutton for punishment)
The key difference from red stakes? You can’t drop within two club lengths of where the ball crossed the hazard. It’s like the golf gods are saying, “Nice try, but no cutting corners!”
The Yellow Stake Incident
Picture this: I’m playing a round at Aviara, feeling confident after only dunking three balls so far. I step up to the tee, channel my inner Lexi Thompson, and let it rip.
The ball takes off like it’s late for a hot date, heading straight for… you guessed it, the yellow-staked pond in front of the green. I watch in horror as it sails majestically through the air, hangs for a moment like it’s contemplating life choices, then plunges into the water with a sad little “plop.”
As I’m trudging to the drop zone, tail between my legs, I overhear a conversation: “Did you see that ball?” “Yeah, it was a Kirkland.” “Poor soul.”
I’ve never felt so seen and so attacked at the same time.
Red vs Yellow: The Showdown
So, what’s the difference between red and yellow stakes? Let’s break it down:
Red Stakes:
- Pros: More flexible drop options, might find your ball (and a family of ducks)
- Cons: Wet socks, potential alligator encounters
Yellow Stakes:
- Pros: Clear “don’t go here” message, often come with a drop zone
- Cons: Less flexible drop options, higher chance of watching your ball disappear forever
In Conclusion: It’s Not Just Black and White (or Red and Yellow)
At the end of the day, whether you’re facing red stakes or yellow stakes, remember: it’s just a game. A frustrating, expensive, time-consuming game that will make you question your life choices. But a game nonetheless.
So next time you see those colorful sticks on the course, take a deep breath, remember this guide, and make your choice. And if all else fails, just blame it on the Kirkland balls. That’s what I do.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice my “water hazard avoidance” technique. And by that, I mean I’ll be at the 19th hole, where the only stakes I care about are the ones holding up my plate of nachos.
May your drives be long, your putts be true, and your balls always land between the stakes (no matter what color they are).
Fore! (And cheers!)
OK….you are confronted with an island green, water on all sides except the earth walking path to get to the green on the left side (at 9 o’clock). Your ball hits on the green but trickles over the back of the green into the water. There are no red stakes and no red painted lines. (and no yellow for that matter).
There is a drop area, which would be a local rule only. Without the drop zone, from where to you play?
Hey there! This is actually a great question and not as tricky as it might seem.
Since we’re dealing with an island green with no stakes or lines marked, this automatically defaults to yellow penalty area treatment according to the Rules of Golf (specifically Rule 17.1d).
Here’s why: Any body of water on a golf course (sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, etc.) is automatically considered a penalty area even if it’s not marked. And when a penalty area isn’t marked with stakes or lines, it defaults to yellow.
So for your specific situation, without using the drop zone (which would be your easiest option if allowed by local rules!), you’d have two options:
You know what’s kind of funny? This is exactly why most courses DO have a drop zone for island greens – they realize nobody wants to trek all the way back to their previous spot when they’ve already walked up to the green!
Just remember – no markings = yellow penalty area by default for water.
Hope this helps clarify things! 😊