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Summaries follow the Rules of Golf, 2023 edition. Always confirm the current edition on the USGA Rules Hub.
“My ball went into water or a red/yellow staked area.”
You can play it as it lies with no penalty, or take relief for one penalty stroke: stroke and distance, or back-on-the-line relief. Red penalty areas also allow lateral relief within two club-lengths, not nearer the hole.
Official USGA explanation ↗
“I can't find my ball, or it went past the white stakes.”
You get three minutes to search. A lost or out-of-bounds ball means stroke and distance: one penalty stroke and play again from where you last played. If you think it might be lost or out of bounds, hit a provisional ball first. Some courses adopt a Local Rule with a two-stroke alternative — check the scorecard.
Official USGA explanation ↗
“My ball is in the sand.”
Don't test the sand or touch it with your club right in front of or behind the ball, or in your backswing. You may remove loose impediments and movable obstructions. If you can't play it, extra unplayable-ball options apply, including dropping outside the bunker on the line for two penalty strokes total.
Official USGA explanation ↗
“What can I do once I'm on the green?”
You can mark, lift and clean your ball any time, and repair almost any damage on the green, including spike marks. There's no penalty if your putt hits a flagstick left in the hole.
Official USGA explanation ↗
“A cart path, puddle or ground under repair is in my way.”
From temporary water, ground under repair, animal holes and immovable obstructions like cart paths, you get free relief in the general area: find the nearest point of complete relief and drop within one club-length, not nearer the hole.
Official USGA explanation ↗
“My ball is under a bush or against a tree.”
You decide when your ball is unplayable (anywhere except a penalty area). For one penalty stroke: stroke and distance, back-on-the-line relief, or drop within two club-lengths, not nearer the hole.
Official USGA explanation ↗
“How do I drop correctly when I take relief?”
Drop from knee height, straight down, into the relief area. The ball must come to rest in that relief area.
Official USGA explanation ↗
“What applies to most shots I play?”
Normally you play the ball as it lies. You get free relief for an embedded ball or an abnormal course condition, but not for natural things like trees or bushes.
Official USGA explanation ↗Educational explanation only — not an official ruling. For a ruling, use the official USGA text or ask the Committee running your event.
Original GolfDebrief lessons and drills, plus linked official material. Each entry shows its creator, source and review status.
23 resources
Most lost tee shots start on the wrong line. Pick the line first, then swing. Pick a spot a few feet in front of the ball on your target line and aim the clubface at it first. Choose the tee-shot target that keeps the worst trouble out of play, not the one that leaves the shortest approach. If the driver brings a penalty into play, a fairway wood or hybrid you can start on line is the better club.
Approach shots usually miss short. Knowing how far each club carries fixes more greens than a new swing. Plan with carry distance (where the ball lands), not total distance with roll. When unsure between two clubs, take the longer one and aim for the middle of the green. Aim at the center of the green when the flag is near trouble — a two-putt from the middle beats a chip from the short side.
Partial wedge shots get easier when you own a few repeatable swing lengths. Use three backswing lengths — hip, chest and shoulder high — with the same smooth tempo. Write down how far each length carries with each wedge. Pick the swing length from your notes, then commit to it without slowing down.
Around the green, the simplest shot that reaches the putting surface is usually the best one. Pick a landing spot about a yard onto the green and focus on hitting it. Use less loft (8-iron to pitching wedge) when there's plenty of green to roll on. Keep the ball slightly back and your weight favoring the front foot for clean contact.
In a greenside bunker, the sand carries the ball out. Your job is to enter the sand in the right spot. Open the clubface slightly before you take your grip. Aim to enter the sand about two inches behind the ball. Keep swinging through to a full finish — slowing down leaves the ball in the bunker.
Three-putts usually come from poor speed on the first putt, not a bad read. On long putts, focus on stopping the ball inside a three-foot circle around the hole. Look at the hole during practice strokes so your eyes set the distance. On short putts, pick a firm line and commit — indecision causes more misses than the read.
Penalty strokes are the most expensive shots in golf, and most are avoidable with a better target. On every tee and approach, name the trouble first, then pick a target that keeps it out of play. When a shot needs your best swing to clear trouble, take the safer route. After a penalty or bad lie, get the ball back in play first — one safe shot avoids the double bogey.
A short, repeatable routine keeps one bad hole from turning into three. Keep your pre-shot routine to three steps: pick the target, one rehearsal, breathe and go. After a bad hole, give yourself ten steps to react, then name the lesson in one sentence. Judge your decision and commitment, not where the ball finished.
Place two tees or headcovers about two feet in front of your ball, slightly wider than a clubhead, on your target line. Hit 10 drives at a smooth tempo, using your full pre-shot routine each time. Count how many start through the gate. Goal: 7 of 10 drives start through the gate.
Pick two targets about 30 yards apart to act as the edges of a fairway. Hit 14 tee shots — one for each fairway on a full round — switching clubs if the driver keeps missing. Count how many finish between the two targets. Goal: 9 of 14 tee shots finish inside the corridor.
Pick three targets at different distances you face on the course. Hit 5 balls to each with the club you'd normally choose, noting where each ball lands. Adjust your club choice wherever balls keep landing short or long. Goal: 10 of 15 shots land within 10 yards of the target distance.
Pick a target about the size of a green. Hit 10 mid-irons aiming at its center, using your full routine. Count balls that finish inside the green-sized area. Goal: 6 of 10 finish inside the green-sized target.
With one wedge, hit 5 balls each with a hip-high, chest-high and shoulder-high backswing. Note the carry distance of each group. Write the three numbers on a card for your bag. Goal: Each group of 5 carries within a 6-yard window.
Lay a small towel about a yard onto the green. Chip 10 balls from just off the green, trying to land each one on the towel. Count how many finish within six feet of the hole. Goal: 6 of 10 chips finish within six feet of the hole.
Draw a line in the sand. Make 10 swings without a ball, entering the sand at the line. Place a ball two inches in front of the line and hit 10 shots. Count how many get out of the bunker on the first try. Goal: 8 of 10 balls out of the bunker on the first try.
Hit putts from 20, 30 and 40 feet to the same hole, rotating distances. Look at the hole during each practice stroke, then putt. Count how many stop inside three feet (about one putter length). Goal: 8 of 12 long putts stop inside three feet.
Place 6 balls in a circle three feet from the hole. Then repeat at four and five feet. Pick your line, commit and stroke each putt. Track how many you make out of 18. Goal: Make 15 of 18 short putts.
Picture the first nine holes of your course. For each tee shot, say the trouble out loud, pick a target that avoids it, choose the club and hit. Mark each shot as safe side or trouble side of your target. Goal: 7 of 9 shots finish on the safe side of your target.
Build a three-step routine: pick a target, one rehearsal swing, one slow breath and go. Hit 10 balls, doing the full routine every time. Have a friend or phone timer check that each routine takes about the same time. Goal: 10 of 10 balls hit with the full routine, each in under 25 seconds.
After any bogey or worse, give yourself ten steps to react. Say the lesson from that hole in one sentence. Start your full routine on the next tee, no matter how you feel. Goal: No back-to-back double bogeys for the round.
