Question about how to play on from red staked hazard.
Difficult to explain without a picture, but imagine a hole which runs along the exterior of the course along left hand side.
Obviously hitting over the course boundary equals OOB, but along the boundary is a drainage ditch marked with red stakes (not aware of this at time I played my shot).
I chunk my approach left, ball bounces once, then into the ditch/hedgerow. Concerned about OOB/Lost ball I drop in place and shoot onto the green.
Looking for the ball I spot it, spot the red stakes. I know I'm ok with current ball on the green, but it's not as close to the pin as maybe I like.
1st, can I discount my replacement shot, and take a drop where the ball entered the hazard?
And 2, how/where could I do that? The hazard travels the last 100 yards of the hole, it's impossible to drop the ball behind the boundary of the course. Do I literally move backwards along the course/hazard and drop within 2 club lengths? As this automatically puts the ball "closer to the hole" than where it enters the hazard.
This drop would have put me within 5 feet of the green, improving my chances of a) chipping her in or b) getting close.