• If your ball is moved by you, your partner or your caddie except as permitted by the Rules or if it moves after you have addressed it, add a penalty stroke and replace your ball. (18-2)
• If your ball is moved by someone else or another ball, replace it without penalty to you. (18)

• Don’t touch the line of your putt unless a Rule permits. (16-la)
• You may repair ball marks and old hole plugs on the line but not spike marks. (16-lc)
• You may lift, and if desired clean, your ball on the putting green. Always replace it on the exact spot. (16-lb)
• Don’t test the surface by scraping it or rolling a ball. (16-ld)
• If your ball played from the putting green strikes the flagstick, in match play you lose the hole or in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty. (17-3)
• Always hole out unless in match play your opponent concedes your putt. (2-4, 3-2, 16-2)

• Play the ball as it lies. (13-1) Don’t touch it unless a Rule permits. (18-2)
• Play the course as you find it. Don’t improve your lie, the area of your intended swing or your line of play or a reasonable extension of that line beyond the hole by moving, bending or breaking anything fixed or growing except in fairly taking your stance or making your swing. Don’t press anything down. (13-2)
• Don’t build a stance. (13-3)
• If your ball is in a bunker or a water hazard, don’t touch the ground in the bunker or the ground or water in the water hazard before the downswing. (13-4)
• Strike at the ball with the clubhead. Don’t push or scrape it. (14-1) If your club strikes the ball more than once in a single stroke, count the stroke and add a penalty stroke. (14-4)
• If you play a wrong ball (except in a hazard), in match play you lose the hole. In stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty and must then play the correct ball. (15)

• Tee off within two club-lengths behind the front edges of the tee-markers.
• If you tee off outside this area, in match play there is no penalty but your opponent may require you to replay the stroke. In stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty and must then play from within the proper area. (11-4)

• On the first tee the honor is determined by the order of the draw or, in the absence of a draw, by lot. (10)
• In match play, the ball farther from the hole is played first. The winner of a hole tees off first on the next hole. If a player plays out of turn anywhere on the course, his opponent may require him to replay. (10-1)
• In stroke play, the ball farthest from the hole is played first. The competitor with the lowest score on a hole tees off first on the next hole. There is generally no penalty for playing out of turn. (10-2)
• In four-ball competitions, partners may play in the order they consider best. (30-3c and 31-5)

Consistent, powerful swings usually have one thing in common–extension through the ball after hitting it. A good way you can learn to perfect this is to put a tee about eight inches in front of the ball you are hitting. Make an effort to hit not only the ball but also the tee. This will help to train you to swing through the ball, not at it.

A consistent golf swing requires a smooth tempo and good balance. Just as a house needs a solid foundation, so does your golf swing. Practice hitting some shots with your feet close together (about six inches apart). This forces you to maintain better balance, tempo, and rhythm and will prove effective when you go back to hitting from your normal stance.

When you’re playing in the wind, a simple but very good thought is “swing with ease into the breeze.” This thought helps keep you from over swinging in the wind and, in turn, prevent your ball from sailing too high. Greg Norman said he used this one on his way to winning the 1994 British Open.

When trying to get the ball airborne, hit down and through it. By allowing the club’s loft to do the work, you’ll achieve good contact, resulting in a natural flight path. Remember, golf clubs have loft for a reason–use it to your advantage!

Many players feel that they need to hit it harder into a breeze, but this causes them to put more spin on the ball and hit it higher. To hit it lower and more controlled, put the ball back in your stance a few inches and keep your hands forward. Use a longer club than you would otherwise, and swing easy. Remember the old saying, “Swing with ease into the breeze.”