This actually happened at a domestic professional golf tournament. A shot by A, a well-known professional, curled to the left. Looking in the rough, the ball was near the out-of-bounds (OB) area. Fortunately, the ball was inside the course, and A breathed a sigh of relief. But when A tried to swing, an OB stake got in the way of the swing. So A pulled out the stake and played.
If a player pulls out or moves an OB stake before playing, as in A's case, the general penalty applies (two penalty strokes in stroke play, loss of the hole in match play) (Rule 8.1a). This is because the player improved conditions affecting the stroke. OB stakes are "boundary objects" of the course and cannot be moved. It is also worth knowing that no free relief is allowed from boundary objects, even if they interfere with the swing.
Even if an OB stake has been removed or moved, there is a chance to avoid the penalty. The player can put the stake back in place or reinsert it at its original angle. However, this must be done before making the stroke (Rule 8.1c).
Besides OB stakes, courses also have distance-marker stakes and penalty-area stakes. These two types of stakes can be either "movable obstructions" or "immovable obstructions."
A movable obstruction is an object that can be moved with reasonable effort without damaging the obstruction or the course (definition of terms). If a stake pulls out easily, it is a movable obstruction. Therefore, it can be pulled out or moved at any time if it interferes with play.
What should a player do if the ball was resting against a distance-marker stake that pulls out easily (a movable obstruction), and the ball moved while removing the stake? In this case, there is no penalty, and the ball should be replaced at its original spot (Rule 15.2a).
There are also times when a stake is an immovable obstruction. This is when it is firmly embedded in the ground and does not move or pull out easily. In such a case, if the stake interferes with the swing, the player may take relief from an abnormal course condition without penalty. However, if the ball is in a penalty area, relief cannot be taken (Rule 16.1a).
It is also useful to know how stakes are distinguished by color. OB stakes are entirely white. Distance-marker stakes are usually white with the top painted red, yellow, or another color. Distances are distinguished by the color of the top of the stake or the number of lines, but this varies slightly by course, so players should check with a caddie or others.
Penalty-area stakes are entirely red or yellow. In a red penalty area, after taking one penalty stroke, there are three relief options: stroke-and-distance relief returning to the spot of the previous shot, back-on-the-line relief, and lateral relief. In a yellow penalty area, lateral relief is not permitted among the three relief options.
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