Hazards

Question
The course that I play has two water hazards marked with both red and yellow stakes.  One water hazard comes into play on only one hole.  The other water hazard comes into play on two holes and it is possible to cross the red or yellow staked areas from either hole.  
I hit a ball that crossed the red area closest to me and then crossed the yellow area across the hazard, hit a tree outside of the hazard and then crossed the yellow marked area and into the hazard.  What are my options?
Thanks!


Answer
Hello Bill:

Thanks for asking this question.

It is somewhat hard to envision the situation.  

Let's say the ball completely crossed the Red Area (Lateral Water Hazard) and kept flying.  Then, the ball hit the tree (outside of both hazard areas) and dropped into ground and crossed yellow area and went into water hazard.  

I assume that the tree was standing between two water hazards, and if the ball did not hit the tree, then it would cross the water hazard area completely and landed into the green or close to the green.  

I think you first identify the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard.  Drop the ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped (Rule 26-1) with one penalty.

Hope this helps.

Dan