Dropping Lessons

[duncan mackie]

It kind of is and isn't a joke

I read a piece on it the other day about deliberately dropping on sloped ground with the 'hope/intent' that the ball would roll closer to the hole allowing a re-drop then a ball place etc and while reading I realised I don't consider that as an option (if the ground conditions suit) and in general I probably don't give dropping the attention it deserves and it could cost a shot or two over someone who's 'skilled' at it

you are correct that the better your working knowledge of the rules the more you are able to take advantage, or avoid being disadvantaged, by them.

you are also able to play quicker as a result!!!

examples would be -

picking a ball up from a path only to subsequently realise that your dropping area is far worse; cue long discussions about whether that really is the dropping area prior to even longer ones about whether a penalty applies when you decide to play the ball from the path and whether you are required to drop it or place it on the path....if you drop it and it bounces over a clublength away what next etc etc etc

endless on course discussion (verging on arguments) about where you should drop when your ball goes into a lateral water hazard - and even once the theory is agreed there's what this means in practice in that situation!

obviously some courses are better than others for such issues - appaerntly there are actually some without artificial paths, fixed signs and water hazards - but anyone who believes that having a good working knowledge of the rules would slow down play isn't living in the real world.