I’m pretty new to the whole golf scene and would like clarification on a rather simple rule! I know everyone has lost a golf ball they expected to find – I’m wondering what are the official (and unofficial) penalties when this happens….

I’m aware the official rules of golf state that a new ball must be dropped (costing a stroke) after a maximum of 5 minutes looking for the initial ball. The part that confuses me is where the ‘dropped’ ball should be played from – the rules imply (neh state!) the new ball should be dropped as close to where the lost ball was last played from (costing a stoke+distance), but in my experice the new ball is more often than not dropped in the vacinity of where the original ball was lost (costing just a stroke)… what’s the correct rule? and what rule is normally applied – in a) serious competition and b) in society golf and the like….

thanks in advance!

harts