Out of Bounds in Golf: The Rule, the Penalty and the Two-Stroke Option
By Erdi Doğan, owner and editor ·
If your ball comes to rest out of bounds, you take stroke and distance: add one penalty stroke and play again from where you hit the previous shot (Rule 18.2). Hit your tee shot out of bounds and your next shot from the tee is your third. Many courses also allow a local rule for casual rounds that lets you drop near where the ball went out for two penalty strokes instead of walking back. This page covers both, plus how to tell whether a ball is really out. For the other penalty and relief situations, see our guide to the golf rules.
How to tell if a ball is out of bounds
The course boundary is marked with white stakes, a white line on the ground, or fences and walls. The committee decides which; the scorecard or a notice at the first tee usually says.
- White stakes: the boundary edge is the line between the course-side points of the stakes at ground level. The stakes themselves are out of bounds.
- White line: the line itself is out of bounds. The edge is the course side of the line.
- Fence or wall: the boundary is the course-side edge of the posts or the wall.
A ball is out of bounds only when all of it is beyond the boundary edge. If any part of the ball lies on or over the course side of the line, it is in bounds and you play it as it lies (Rule 18.2a(2)). Unlike most obstructions, boundary stakes are fixed: you may not remove a white stake to make your swing easier.
The penalty: stroke and distance
Out of bounds is a one-stroke penalty, but the real cost is the distance. You must play again from where your last stroke was made, using the procedure in Rule 14.6:
| Where you played the last shot from | What you do |
|---|---|
| The teeing area | Play again from anywhere in the teeing area, and you may tee the ball up |
| The fairway, rough or a bunker | Drop a ball within one club-length of the spot you played from, no nearer the hole, in the same area of the course |
| The putting green | Place a ball on the spot you putted from |
Counting your score
Count the stroke that went out, add one penalty stroke, then count the new stroke. A few common cases:
- Tee shot out of bounds: you hit 3 from the tee. If that one finds the fairway, your approach is your 4th.
- Second shot out of bounds from the fairway: you drop near the spot and play your 4th.
- Two tee shots out of bounds in a row: you are hitting 5 from the tee.
Play a provisional ball to save the walk
If you think your ball might be out of bounds (or lost outside a penalty area), you may hit a provisional ball before you go forward to look (Rule 18.3). You must announce it clearly, for example "I'm playing a provisional," before you hit. If your original ball turns out to be in bounds, you abandon the provisional and play the original with no penalty. If the original is out of bounds, the provisional becomes your ball in play, already one stroke-and-distance penalty in: a provisional from the tee is your third shot. The same procedure applies to a lost ball.
The two-stroke alternative for casual rounds (Model Local Rule E-5)
Walking back to the tee slows down play, so since 2019 the Rules have included a model local rule that a course or club may adopt for general play. Under it, when your ball is out of bounds or lost, you may instead take relief near where it went out for two penalty strokes. You drop in a large area between the point where the ball crossed the boundary (or is estimated to be lost) and the edge of the nearest fairway, no nearer the hole, plus two club-lengths to the outside.
Three limits matter. The local rule applies only if the course or committee has adopted it, so check the scorecard. It is meant for casual rounds and club competitions, not for elite events. And it does not apply to a provisional ball you have already played: once you hit a provisional, you must use it if the original is lost or out of bounds. For handicap purposes, rounds played under this local rule still count.
Out of bounds versus a penalty area
White stakes and red or yellow stakes are often confused. Red and yellow mark penalty areas, such as ponds, creeks and some desert or jungle areas. A ball in a penalty area also costs one stroke, but you get more options, including dropping near where the ball crossed into the area. White means out of bounds, and your only standard option is stroke and distance.
Frequently asked questions
Is out of bounds a one or two stroke penalty?
One penalty stroke under the standard rule, plus you lose the distance because you replay from the previous spot. The two-stroke option exists only where the course has adopted Model Local Rule E-5.
Can I hit from where my ball went out of bounds?
Not under the standard rule. You may drop near where it went out only if Model Local Rule E-5 is in effect, and then the penalty is two strokes.
Is a ball on the white line out of bounds?
The white line is itself out of bounds, so a ball resting entirely on or beyond it is out. If any part of the ball is on the course side of the line, it is in bounds.
Can I stand out of bounds to hit my ball?
Yes. As long as the ball is in bounds, you may stand out of bounds to play it.
For relief options when your ball is somewhere else on the course, start with our golf rules guide.
Sources
- Rule 18: Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out of Bounds, Provisional Ball, The R&A and USGA, Rules of Golf (2023)
- Rule 14.6: Making Next Stroke from Where Previous Stroke Made, The R&A and USGA
- Definitions: Out of Bounds; Boundary Object, The R&A and USGA