Craig,  The drop procedure seems to be misunderstood, even by experienced players, particularly about when a re-drop is required/allowed.  Rule 20-2 specifies 6 scenarios when a ball MUST be re-dropped including: ?“A dropped ball must be re-dropped, without penalty, if it: (vi) rolls and comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it first struck a part of the course.”  Ruling 20-2c/1 clarifies this even further:

20-2c/1 Dropped Ball Rolling Out of Prescribed Dropping Area
Q. A player taking relief under the Rules sometimes appears to obtain more relief than he is entitled to because the relevant Rule allows him some latitude within which to drop and the dropped ball then rolls some distance from the place where it was dropped. When a Rule prescribes an area within which a ball must be dropped, e.g., within one or two club-lengths of a particular point, should it be re-dropped if it rolls outside the area so prescribed?
A. No, not necessarily. Provided the ball has been correctly dropped (Rule 20-2a) and does not roll into any of the positions listed in Rule 20-2c, it is in play and must not be re-dropped.  In particular, under Rule 20-2c(vi), the ball may roll up to two club-lengths from the point where it first struck a part of the course when dropped, and this may result in its coming to rest an appreciable distance farther from the condition from which relief is being taken. For example:
(a) a ball dropped within two club-lengths of the margin of a lateral water hazard may come to rest almost four club-lengths from the hazard margin without the player being required to re-drop it under Rule 20-2c; and
(b) a ball dropped away from an immovable obstruction within one club-length of the nearest point of relief may come to rest almost three club-lengths from the nearest point of relief without the player being required to re-drop it under Rule 20-2c.

My question is, what is the penalty if the player chooses to re-drop the ball (or then possibly even placing it) even if the ball hasn’t rolled the required 2 club lengths from the initial ground contact spot, and then he/she plays out the hole having taken a re-drop that was not allowed under the rules? 

John S.

Hi John,

First - I’m sorry to have missed this post.  Better late than never, right?

One of the most confusing situations in golf, even for an experienced tournament player or a beginning Rules Official, revolves around dropping and re-dropping (where to drop, if the drop counts [meaning the player has dropped in the right place] and when to re-drop).

You question is specific to the last of these situations, when a ball strikes the course in the correct place, Rule 20-2c requires the player to re-drop the ball in seven unique situations.  It is very important to note that the Ruling below only applies if the ball has first struck the course in a correct location and the ball has not come to rest in a location where the player is required to re-drop under Rule 20-2c.

If the player, by mistake, lifts the ball, Rule 18-2a (Ball at Rest Moved) is applicable and the player incurs a one-stroke penalty and must replace the ball.  If the player does anything else ... for example dropping the ball somewhere else the player has not replaced and instead of a one-stroke penalty the player would incur the general penalty (two stroke in stroke play or loss of hole in match play).

John - again sorry for the late reply and thank you for your interest in the Rules of Golf - regards,