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Knowing the correct procedure to follow when dropping or re-dropping a golf ball can come in handy, saving a golfer possible penalty strokes.

First, many golfers do not seem to actually know how to drop a ball, sometimes casually pitching it to the ground. According to the Rules of Golf, a player must drop the ball himself, standing erect and holding the ball at shoulder height and arm's length away.

If dropped in any other manner and the error is not corrected, the player shall incur a penalty stroke.

If a player does not know the specific spot, he shall estimate that spot and the dropped ball can not come to rest closer to the hole than that spot.

If the ball touches the player, his partner, either of their caddies or their equipment before or after it strikes a part of the course, it shall be re-dropped without penalty. There is no limit on the number of times a ball shall be re-dropped in such circumstances.

You also have to re-drop if the ball rolls into or out of a hazard, onto a putting green, out of bounds, into a position from which you have just gotten relief, nearer the hole or more than two-club lengths. If this happens twice, you are allowed to place the ball as near as possible to the spot where it struck a part of the course. If dropped more than twice and not corrected, the player shall incur a two-stroke penalty.

If the ball is not immediately recoverable--for example, it rolls into a hazard--another ball may be substituted without penalty. Even when it appears obvious that the ball will roll into the hazard when re-dropped; the player is still required to do it. He can position his caddie or partner behind the hazard line to avoid losing the ball, but should warn them not to touch the ball until it has crossed the hazard line.

If a ball when placed fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, it shall be replaced without penalty. If it still fails to come to a rest, a player can place it at the nearest spot where it will rest without moving as long as it is not closer to the hole unless he is in a hazard. Then it has to remain in the hazard, not nearer the hole.

If the ball comes to rest on the specific spot and subsequently moves, it shall be played at it lies--unless the player was addressing the ball and then there is a two-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced.

Remember that a ball dropped within two-club lengths of a point where a player's ball crossed the lateral hazard may actually come to rest up to two more club lengths before having to be re-dropped. In cases allowing one-club length relief, the player's ball can actually come to rest up to three-club lengths away.

When dropping a ball behind a water hazard, the player has to keep the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the hazard between the hole and that spot with no limit on how far behind the hazard.

When measuring, a player is entitled to use any club, even one belonging to a partner or fellow competitor. Yes, it could be one of the long putters. However, he can not change to a shorter club because the dropped ball came to rest in a bad lie.If the player accidentally causes the ball to move when measuring to see if he must re-drop, there is no penalty. He just replaces the ball as near as possible to where it originally lay.

Always be careful when taking relief under all circumstances.

I can recall when a PGA Tour player dropped his ball after taking relief from a cart path. When taking his stance, his heel was still on the cart path. He hit his approach and was penalized two strokes. He should have re-dropped the ball.

The same would be true if a player decided to take relief from ground under repair. He could not take his stance in the marked off area even if the ball was outside this area. He has to take full relief. The same is true when taking relief from an immovable obstruction.

Remember there is no distinction between rough and fairway. A player who takes relief in the rough can drop the ball in the fairway as long as it is within the prescribed limits.

Keep a rule book handy and refer to Rule 20-2 if you have any questions about the proper procedure for dropping your ball.