Editor's note: PGA TOUR Tournament Official Dillard Pruitt has seen the game from both sides. He played the PGA TOUR from 1988-96 and won the 1991 Chattanooga Classic. He now works as a PGA TOUR rules official and will share his knowledge weekly with PGATOUR.com viewers.

QUESTION: What is the rule for teeing off and you hit in a water hazard? Can you drop or do you have to tee off again? If you do tee off again and hit in the water can you drop? Thanks, Eric Bourne.

PRUITT: Well, Eric, you have several options under the water hazard rule, and one of the options is that you can play a ball from where the original was last played. See Rule 26 in The Rules of Golf. Another option is dropping the ball behind the water hazard, taking the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard and the hole with no limit as to how far behind the hazard the ball may be dropped. Eric, a water hazard is marked with yellow stakes and yellow lines; a lateral water hazard is marked with red stakes and red lines. You have two more options under the lateral water hazard rule than described above. Check for those options under Rule 26-Ci,ii. To answer the second part of your question, once you have operated under the Rules the first time you hit into the hazard, you would have the same options for the next ball played into the hazard. Yes, you could use a different option.

QUESTION: What is the main difference between a red hazard marker and a yellow hazard marker? And, what if a water hazard is marked with both? Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Best Regards, Tommy Brantley of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

PRUITT: Tommy, this is a great question that falls under Rule 26. You have two types of water hazards -- a water hazard defined by yellow lines and a lateral water hazard is defined by red lines. On page 72 of the Rules of Golf you can read up on Rule 26. The player has a few more drop options with a lateral water hazard (red) than a water hazard (yellow). When a hazard is the type that is marked with both, the red line ties into the yellow or yellow ties into the red, you will operate where the ball last cross either red or yellow. I hope this clears up your question.

QUESTION: I have had a lot of discussions concerning how close the pin can be placed to the edge of the green. I am getting a lot of different answers. Can you tell me what the rule is for how close can the pin (hole) be placed to the edge of the green?

PRUITT: There is no Rule about the placement of a hole in regards to the location on the green. On the PGA TOUR -- depending on the type of hole (length, wind, etc.) -- we generally are around 12 feet from the edge of the green.

QUESTION: The player hits his ball in a greenside bunker thin and the ball flies over the green into another bunker. The player then takes a couple of practice shots hitting the sand and smooths the bunker. Was the player in breach of Rule 13-4? Thanks for the answer. Osmo Vatanen

PRUITT: Osmo, why don't you look at the exceptions under Rule 13-4? I would say no to your question for a few reasons -- he has already tested the condition when he first played from the bunker, and he did nothing to improve his lie.

QUESTION: I was told by my playing partner that when his drive hit the red tee marker he was allowed to tee it up again without penalty. He alleges the same is true of any man-made obstruction such as a ball washer or high voltage line that is hit by a tee shot. Is he correct? Paul Jones of Bradenton, Fla.

PRUITT: Well, Paul, your playing partner or competitor is wrong on two things but is correct about the high voltage line. The decisions book has a local Rule that can be adopted 33-8/13, that requires a player to replay a shot that is deflected by a power line. Your friend was wrong about ball washer and the tee markers. You can get relief from man-made obstruction, but you do not get to replay when your ball hits one.

QUESTION: As a follow up to the incident at THE PLAYERS Championship, what if Stephen Ames had hit his second shot from the trap and it rolled back into the bunker where he had previously smoothed out his footprints? Erik Nordquist of Thousand Oaks, Calif.

PRUITT: Eric, take a look at the Decisions on the Rules of Golf, on page 174, 13-4/8 is what you are describing. If that is the case there would be a penalty of two shots.