Rules of Golf

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18-2a/10 Dropped Ball Lifted and Re-Dropped When It Should Have Been Played as It Lay; Ball Then Lifted Again and Placed
Q: In stroke play, a competitor whose ball was in a lateral water hazard elected to take relief under Rule 26-1c(i). When a ball was dropped, it rolled toward the hole but came to rest not more than two club-lengths from where it first struck the ground and not nearer the hole than the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard.
Incorrectly believing that Rule 20-2c applied, the competitor lifted the ball and re-dropped it, whereupon the ball rolled toward the hole as before.
The competitor again lifted the ball, placed it where it first struck the ground when re-dropped and played his next stroke.
Is the competitor penalized two strokes or four strokes?
A: Two strokes. The ball when first dropped was in play -- see Rule 20-4.
The competitor was in breach of Rule 18-2a when he lifted it. Because the competitor failed to replace his ball at the spot at which it came to rest when first dropped, he incurred a total penalty of two strokes -- see penalty statement under Rule 18.

During the first hole of a hole-by-hole playoff in the 2010 Verizon Heritage, Brian Davis had a chance to capture his first career PGA Tour victory. However, his approach shot found the greenside hazard. During his backswing, Davis touched some stray weeds which the Rules of Golf define as “loose impediments.” Rule 13-4c prohibits a player from touching loose impediments before making a stoke in a hazard. In this case the penalty for the breach was not only two strokes, but also $415,000.

Decision 13-4/33 further explains this situation: 13-4/33 Bunker Covered by Leaves; Player Touches Leaves During Backswing
Q. A player hits a ball into a bunker which is covered by leaves (loose impediments). The player removes as many leaves as will enable him to see a part of the ball in accordance with Rule 12-1. If the player then touches some of the leaves on his backswing, is he in breach of the Rules?
A. Yes. If the player touches leaves on his backswing, he is in breach of Rule 13-4c which prohibits a player from touching a loose impediment in a hazard before making a stroke in the hazard. A stroke does not begin until after the completion of the player's backswing — see Definition of "Stroke."
If fallen leaves in bunkers seasonally create an abnormal problem, the Committee may make a Local Rule declaring accumulations of leaves in bunkers to be ground under repair. Rule 25-1b(ii) would then apply.