A. Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is a downward adjustment of an individual hole score based on handicap to ensure that one bad hole does not have a disproportionate effect on a golfers handicap. This procedure is used for handicap score posting only and is not to be used in any type of competition. The following table shows the adjustment to be made for golfers of different abilities.

More than 4.5 million golfers have an USGA Handicap Index.  The average is 16.1 for men, 29.2 for women.

Rough to fairway. In taking relief from an abnormal ground condition, such as casual water, the nearest point of relief is determined without regard for fairway or rough. So, if your ball is in the rough, you might be able to move it to the fairway (the one club length from the nearest point might help you). But this is a double-edged sword -- if your ball is in the fairway, the nearest point of relief might be in the rough, or even under a bush. There is only one "nearest point"; you can't go looking for the best option.

Out from under a tree. If your ball is under a tree, but also in a situation that allows free relief, you can take relief if you are physically able to swing at the ball. If your drop puts you in a position where you are able to play at the green instead of chipping out sideways, that's fine.

Don't look for original ball. If you hit a great shot with a provisional ball, and/or you think your first ball might be in a truly awful place, you don't have to look for the original. Once you play the provisional from the area the original ball is likely to be (or nearer the hole), it becomes your ball in play, incurring a stroke-and-distance penalty. If somebody finds your original before your provisional ball becomes in play, however, you have to play the original.

Place ball after two drops. If, when you drop a ball, it rolls away twice to where a re-drop would be required, you get to place the ball on the spot where it hit the ground on the second drop. If you're proceeding under a Rule which gives you an area to drop into, and you think you will end up placing the ball after two drops, you should scout for an area of nice turf before dropping.

Play from the previous spot. If you somehow skull an easy chip shot or hit a putt into a water hazard or an unplayable position, remember that one of your options is to return to the spot of your previous stroke, under penalty of one stroke. It could leave you in a better position.

• When your shot has to carry over a water hazard, you can either hit one more club or two more balls.

• If you're afraid a full shot might reach the green while the foursome ahead of you is still putting out, you have two options: you can immediately shank a lay-up or you can wait until the green is clear and top a ball halfway there.

• No matter how bad you are playing, it is always possible to play worse.

• The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical unconscious motion that allowed you to compensate for all of your many other errors.

• If it ain't broke, try changing your grip.

• Golfers who claim they don't cheat also lie.

• Everyone replaces his divot after a perfect approach shot.

• A golf match is a test of your skill against your opponents luck.

• It is surprisingly easy to hole a fifty foot putt  ......for an 8.

• Counting on your opponent to inform you when he breaks a rule is like expecting him to make fun of his own haircut.

• Nonchalant putts count the same as chalant putts.

• It's not a gimme if you're still away.

• The shortest distance between any two points on a golf course is a straight line that passes directly through the center of a very large tree.

• There are two kinds of bounces; unfair bounces and bounces just the way you meant to play it.

• You can hit a two acre fairway 10% of the time and a two-inch branch 90% of the time.

• If you really want to get better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age.

• The game of golf is 90% mental and 10% mental.

• Since bad shots come in groups of three, a fourth bad shot is actually the beginning of the next group of three.

• When you look up, causing an awful shot, you will always look down again at exactly the moment when you ought to start watching the ball if you ever want to see it again.

• Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe.

• To calculate the speed of a players downswing, multiply the speed of his back-swing by his handicap; i.e., back-swing 20 mph, handicap 15, downswing = 600 mph.

• There are two things you can learn by stopping your back-swing at the top and checking the position of your hands: how many hands you have, and which one in wearing the glove.

• Hazards attract, fairways repel.

• You can put a draw on the ball, you can put  a fade on the ball, but no golfer can put a straight on the ball.

• A ball you can see in the rough from 50 yards away is not yours. If there is a ball in the fringe and a ball in the bunker, your ball is in the bunker.  If both balls are in the bunker, yours is in the footprint.

• Don't buy a putter until you've had a chance to throw it.

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