Taking relief from water hazard behind green

[atlanta golfer]

2 club lengths but not nearer the hole

I'm playing a par 3 and hit the ball solid but slightly too far. The ball passes directly over the flagstick, hits on the back fringe downslope, and bounces into the water hazard 10 feet behind the green. I understand that I must take a drop two club lengths from where the ball crossed the margin of the hazard, but not nearer the hole. How do I do this when the hazard is behind the green? Do I need to walk sideways along the line of the hazard until I get to a place where I will be further from the hole, even if this is 10 or 20 or 30 feet sideways from where the ball crossed the hazard? Often, a water hazard behind a green will curve with the green, so it is hard to find ANY point of relief that is not nearer the hole without walking a good distance. This situation has happened to me twice in my last 3 rounds. I realize that I can always go back to where I played the shot, but taking relief from 160 yards away back at the tee box is not a great option. Advice please.

[phil75070]

First thing to check is if the hazard is marked with red or yellow stakes. Two par threes at my course have water that wraps around behind the green and both are water hazards (yellow stakes) and not lateral hazards (red stakes) so taking a drop behind the green is not an option.

 

Unless the green is perfectly circular and the pin is in the middle and the hazard follows the contour of the green precisely, you really shouldn't have to move too far to take your drop no closer to the pin. Depending on where the ball went in the water relative to the pin, just moving even two club lengths one way or the other away from the pin should most likely satisfy the requirement.

[atlanta golfer]

I get your point about red vs yellow stakes. That is devious of the course to use yellow behind the green. Could you clarify your point about 2 club lengths relief for red (lateral)? It sounds like in this situation I should not expect necessarily to get 2 full club lengths away from the hazard boundary, just 2 club lengths away from the point of entry. So I might end up being only a few inches outside the actual hazard boundary. I noticed a couple videos on the usga web site show something like this - the players are taking drops only maybe 12 inches from the water, not 2 club lengths - and it looks like it is because they are close to the green and can't move any closer to the hole. Is my understanding correct? In my case, the hazard line was overgrown with branches and tall grass, preventing any type of decent drop immediately outside the hazard. I guess this is my tough luck for hitting in there to start with!

[phil75070]

The entire hazard is staked yellow, so even if one goes into the water through the green you end up coming back to a drop area short of the water.

 

You are correct, the two club lengths are from where the ball entered the hazard, no nearer the hole. No guarantee, should you choose that option, that you will escape the surrounding cr*p or end up with a decent lie.