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There are three important principles to remember when playing golf:

• Play the course as you find it. Play the Ball as it lies.
• And if you can't do either, do what's fair.
• To do what's fair you need to know the Rules.

The most important things a golfer learns are correct posture, grip, alignment and the golf swing itself. These are important to every shot played in golf. Qualified instructors teach either the overlapping grip, the interlocking grip, or the baseball grip, depending on the player's hand size and athletic abilities. Great ball-striking golfers all have great club position at impact and marvellous swing speed, produced by correct functions of the basics.

Tee off between and not in front of the tee-markers. You may tee off up to two club-lengths behind the front line of the tee-markers.

Teeing off outside the selected area - in match play there is no penalty but the opponent may ask to replay the stroke; in stroke play the player incur a two-stroke penalty and must then play from within the proper area.

Play the ball as it lies. Don't improve your lie, the area of your intended swing or your line of play by moving, bending or breaking anything fixed or growing except in fairly taking your stance or making your swing. Don't press anything down or build a stance.

Playing a wrong ball (except in a hazard) - in match play you lose the hole; in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty and you must then play the correct ball.

You may repair ball marks and old hole plugs on the line of your putt but not any other damage, including spike marks.

You may mark, lift and clean your ball on the putting green. Always replace it on the exact spot. Don't test the putting surface by scraping it or rolling a ball over it.

If your ball is at rest and it 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.

If your ball is at rest and is moved by someone else or another ball, replace it without penalty to you.

Ball struck by you is deflected or stopped by you, your partner or your caddie - in match play you lose the hole; in stroke play you acquire a two-stroke penalty and the ball is played as it lies.

Ball struck by you is deflected or stopped by another ball at rest- in match play, no penalty and the ball is played as it lies except. In stroke play you gain a two-stroke penalty if your ball and the other ball were on the putting green before you played.

If a lifted ball is to be replaced, its position must be marked. If a ball is to be dropped or placed in any other position it is suggested that the ball's original position be marked.

When dropping, stand straight, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm's length and drop it. If a dropped ball strikes you or your partner, caddie or equipment it must be re-dropped without penalty.

You may lift your ball if it might assist any other player.
You may have any ball lifted if it might interfere with your play or assist any other player.

You may move a loose hurdle unless it and your ball are in a hazard. However, if you have touched a loose obstacle within one club-length of your ball and your ball moves, the ball must be replaced and you acquire a penalty stroke.

Movable obstructions (e.g. rakes, tin cans etc.) anywhere on the course may be moved. If the ball moves it must be replaced without penalty.

If an immovable obstruction (e.g. a water fountain) interferes with your stance or swing, you may drop the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief not nearer the hole. There is no relief for intervention on your line of play unless your ball and the obstruction are on the putting green.

If your ball is in casual water, ground under repair or a hole or cast made by a burrowing animal e.g. a rabbit, you may drop without penalty within one club-length of the nearest point of relief not nearer the hole.

Ball in watery hazard - play the ball as it lies or, under penalty of one stroke, (a) drop any distance behind the water hazard keeping a straight line between the hole, the point where the ball crossed the margin of the water hazard and spot on which the ball is dropped, or (b) play again from where you hit the ball into the hazard.

Ball in lateral water hazard - in addition to the options for a ball in a water hazard, under penalty of one stroke, you may drop within two club-lengths of (a) the point where the ball crossed the margin of the hazard or (b) a point on the opposite side of the hazard equidistant from the hole.

If your ball is lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds you must play another ball from the spot where the last shot was played under penalty of one stroke i.e. stroke and distance. You are allowed 5 minutes to search for a ball, after which if it is not found or identified it is lost. If, after playing a shot, you think your ball may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds you may play a 'provisional ball'. You must state that it is a provisional ball and play it before you go forward to search for the original ball. If the original ball is lost or out of bounds you must continue with the provisional ball under penalty of one stroke. If the original ball is not lost or out of bounds, you must continue play of the hole with it and the provisional ball must be abandoned.

If you believe your ball is unplayable outside a water hazard, you may under penalty of one stroke, (a) drop within two club-lengths of where the ball lies not nearer the hole,
(b) drop any distance behind the point where the ball lay keeping a straight line between the hole, the point where the ball lay and the spot on which the ball is dropped, or
(c) Replay the shot. If your ball is in a bunker you may proceed under (a), (b) and (c). However, if you elect to proceed under (a) or (b) you must drop in the bunker.