Essential rules every golfer should know
18.1
If your shot is horrible, embarrassing, or straight up unplayable, stroke and distance is always an option. Take your penalty, walk back with confidence, and get a fresh start like a real golfer. Once you hit the new ball, your old ball is gone forever. Even if it magically appears two minutes later, it is not coming back. It is like an ex. Move on and play the new one.
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Actual Rule
At any time, you may take stroke-and-distance relief. Once you put another ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance, your original ball is no longer in play and must not be played. This is true even if your original ball is then found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time
Actual Rule
The USGA Rule 5.6b, part of the "Rules of Golf," governs Pace of Play, requiring golfers to play promptly, recognize their pace affects others, and encouraging committees to adopt policies, often involving a 40-second limit per shot and penalties for groups consistently out of position, promoting "ready golf" (playing out of turn safely) in stroke play to keep the game moving efficiently