Sooner or later every golfer must put a ball into play by dropping it. Whether you’re taking relief from a cart path, ground under repair, a water hazard or unplayable lie, when you drop a ball the procedure is always the same. There are a fewthings to knowbefore proceeding, however, that justmight save you some strokes.

Prior to taking any action, it’s always a good idea to determine where your ball will or may come to rest after being dropped. Many players assume that when optional relief is available they are provided with a spot that gives thema "friendly" lie. Unfortunately this isn’t the case. For example, if your ball lies on a cart path (immovable obstruction) and the nearest point of relief is in a row of shrubs you must use that spot, even if you may not have a stroke at your ball once dropped. You should also keep inmind that once you have picked up your ball, you are now committed to doing something with it. You must take complete relief from the condition or put the ball back where it originally lay under penalty of one stroke (Rule 18-2a).

Now that you’re ready to drop, you must stand erect, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length and drop it. The rules require the player to drop the ball him or herself – no one else. That means you can’t use your caddie, your partner or the person in your group with the longest (or shortest) arms! It doesn’t matter if you hold your arm in front of you or to the side, provided it is fully extended.

The two most common mistakes? Players extending their arm above their head or dropping the ball from waist height. Whenever a ball is dropped incorrectly or by someone other than the player, the ball must be redropped. When dropped, if the ball touches any person or the equipment of any player before or after it strikes a part of the course and before it comes to rest, it must be redropped without penalty. There is no limit to the number of times the ball must be redropped under these circumstances.

In addition, once the ball is dropped, it must be re-dropped without penalty if it comes to rest in one of the following conditions:

1. rolls into and comes to rest in a hazard
2. rolls out of and comes to rest outside a hazard
3. rolls onto and comes to rest on a putting green
4. rolls and comes to rest out of bounds
5. rolls to and comes to rest where there is interference by the condition from which relief was taken
6. rolls and comes to rest more than two clublengths from where it first struck a part of the course
7. rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole than;
   1. its original position or estimated position
   2. The nearest point of relief or maximum available relief
   3. The point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard.

If the ball, when re-dropped, rolls into any position listed above it must be placed as near as possible to the spot where it first struck a part of the course.

What if something goes wrong and you determine you have not proceeded correctly? No worries; you have a get out a jail free card - Rule 20-6. Any time a ball is incorrectly substituted, dropped or placed in a wrong place or otherwise not in accordance with the rules but not played, itmay be liftedwithout penalty, and youmust proceed correctly.

For example, in taking relief from a water hazard you drop a ball on the greenside of a water hazard. Prior to playing a stroke your fellow-competitor informs you that under Rule 26-1b you must drop the ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped. Under Rule 20-6, you are permitted to lift the ball without penalty and proceed correctly.

Knowing the rules and how to proceed correctly can help you gain maximum enjoyment from the game. You might even save yourself a stroke or two!