You know what to do if you're ball comes to rest on some steps and you know what to do if your ball is in a bunker - but what about if the steps are in the bunker surrounded by sand?
Do you drop it inside or outside the bunker? Is it a free drop or is there a penalty? What about about once you've picked the ball up can you change your mind?
The majority of situations are straight forward and you will meet them over and over again, but it's what to do when you get that slightly more complex problem and your playing partner trying to be helpful offers his "advice" which doesn't coincide with yours!!
Same with everything, steady deliberate action is the key, - of course if there are refs on the course be mindful of where you last saw one and send someone to go and wake them up - if your unsure of what to do say the problem out loud, check the definitions of the words you used from the section at the front of the book and then find the appropriate rule. If you can't decide what to do use Rule 3-3 Doubt as to Procedure and play the hole out with two balls.
Now the sensible thing would be to do a bit of preparation and learn some of the definitions in advance. You could sign up for the weekly rules Blog Post from Barry Rhodes, I can't recommend his site highly enough or his other products like ‘999 Updated Questions on the Rules of Golf 2012-2015’. To find the answers to the questions at the start of this post look at Barry Rhodes latest article.
http://www.barryrhodes.com/2014/03/golf-ball-at-rest-on-or-near-bunker.html
Now did the eagle eyed amongst you spot that the word advice was in inverted commas above, would you have been penalised for your fellow competitor giving you his thoughts on the rules?
Definition - "Advice" is any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of a club or the method of making a stroke.
Information on the Rules, distance or matters of public information, such as the position of hazards or the flagstick on the putting green, is not advice.
Definitions Page 22 of your Rule book now off you go and learn a couple a day :-)
