Golf Course Stakes and Markers (What the Colors Mean)
Also known as: colored stakes, white stakes, red stakes, yellow stakes, what do the stakes mean, stake colors in golf, yardage markers, sprinkler head yardages, course markers, red and yellow lines
White stakes or lines mark out of bounds. Yellow stakes or lines mark a yellow penalty area, and red ones mark a red penalty area with an extra sideways relief option. Distance markers, such as posts, plates and sprinkler heads, show yardages to the green, but their colors vary by course.
The Rules of Golf set the colors for the most important marks. Boundary stakes or lines should be white. A ball past them is out of bounds. You must not move boundary stakes to help your shot.
Penalty areas, such as ponds and streams, are marked yellow or red. Both give relief for one penalty stroke. A red area also lets you drop within two club-lengths to the side. If a body of water has no color marked, treat it as red. Penalty area stakes are obstructions, so you may remove them if they are movable. Ground under repair is also marked with stakes or lines, and the course explains its marking on the local rules.
Yardage markers are a course's own system. Many courses use colored posts or plates in the fairway and numbers on sprinkler heads. Some measure to the middle of the green and some to the front. Check the scorecard or ask the pro shop.
Tips by skill level
On your first round at a new course, read the scorecard's local rules and yardage notes before you tee off.
Know where the edge is. For stakes, the edge is the line between the stakes at ground level. For a painted line, the line itself is in the penalty area or out of bounds.
Example
A golfer sees red stakes along a creek. Her ball rolls in. She takes a one-stroke penalty and drops within two club-lengths to the side, no nearer the hole.
Why it matters
Reading stakes and markers tells you your options before you hit. It also stops you breaking a rule by accident.
Common mistakes
- Treating red and yellow stakes the same way
- Pulling a white boundary stake to make room for a swing
- Assuming every course uses the same yardage colors
Frequently asked questions
What do white stakes mean in golf?
White stakes or lines mark out of bounds. A ball beyond them is out, and you must not move the stakes to help your shot.
What is the difference between red and yellow stakes?
Both mark penalty areas with a one-stroke penalty for relief. A red penalty area also allows a drop within two club-lengths to the side.
What do the colored posts in the fairway mean?
They are usually yardage markers to the green. Colors and measuring points vary by course, so check the scorecard.
Sources
Related terms
- Out of BoundsOut of bounds (OB) is past the course boundary, usually marked by white stakes. A ball hit there is replayed from the original spot with a one-stroke penalty.
- Penalty Area (Water Hazard)A penalty area, often a pond or stream, is marked by yellow or red stakes or lines. Relief costs one penalty stroke and is more forgiving than out of bounds.
- Movable Obstructions (Rakes, Stakes and Other Objects)Yes, you may move a rake or most stakes without penalty. They are movable obstructions, and Rule 15.2 lets you remove one anywhere on the course. The exception is a white boundary stake, which you must not move. If your ball moves while you remove an obstruction, there is no penalty and you replace it.
- Parts of a Golf Course (Tee Box, Fairway, Rough, Fringe and Green)A golf hole runs from the teeing area, or tee box, to the putting green, where the hole or cup sits. The fairway is the closely mown strip between them. The rough is the longer grass around it, and the fringe or apron is the short collar around the green.
- Local RuleA local rule is a course- or competition-specific change adopted by the committee running play. It commonly covers embedded balls, temporary conditions like winter rules, or unique course features the standard Rules of Golf do not address.
Related guides & benchmarks
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