Procedures for the ball: marking, lifting, cleaning; replacing on a spot; dropping in a relief area; playing from a wrong place
Rule 14 describes what to do when you touch or move your ball.
- Marking: place a marker (often a coin) right behind or beside your ball before picking it up.
- Lifting: picking up the ball. This is only allowed when a rule permits it, for example on the green or when it's in someone else's way.
- Cleaning: you may usually clean a ball once it's lifted.
- Replacing on a spot: put the ball back exactly on its original spot.
- Dropping in a relief area: let the ball fall straight down from knee height within the allowed area.
- Playing from a wrong place: hitting from a spot where that's not allowed, for example after an incorrect drop. This costs the general penalty, two penalty strokes in stroke play.
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