How do I drop a ball correctly?

Question

Accepted Answer

Dropping the right way: You must drop the ball yourself; your caddie or anyone else can't do it for you. Drop it from knee height (the height of your knee when standing), so it falls straight down without being thrown, spun or rolled, and without touching you or your equipment before it lands. It must be dropped in the relief area (you may stand inside or outside it). For back-on-the-line relief, drop it on the line; the spot where it lands creates a relief area of one club-length in any direction. Where it ends up: If it comes to rest in the relief area, you've completed relief and play it as it lies. It doesn't matter if it touches you or your equipment after landing. If it rolls out, drop a second time. If it rolls out again, place it on the spot where the second drop first touched the ground (if it won't stay there after two placements, place it on the nearest spot where it will stay, not nearer the hole). If you drop the wrong way, drop again (there's no limit, and it doesn't count as one of the two drops). If you play it anyway: one penalty stroke if played from the relief area, two strokes if played from outside it. Source: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 14.3.