Ball in the lake: how many strokes deducted? Golf Rules Quick Reference will tell you.

Golf is a game deep in tradition, etiquette - and rules. If you have been playing for a few decades, you might think you know the rules of the game backwards and forwards, but you know what? I bet you don't.

Even the most veteran of golfers run into rules situations that can leave them and their partners unsure how to proceed. And you only have a few minutes, if not seconds, to find the correction solution.

Here's an addition to a mature golfer's playing arsenal that won't break the bank, and fits in your back pocket: the completely updated booklet, Golf Rules Quick Reference 2008-2011.

It solves all the disputes at the 19th hole.

Quick: which of the four declares a ball unplayable (under penalty of one stroke): fairway and rough; bunker; water hazard; or green? With Yves C. Ton-That's updated pocket guide, all you need to do is flip to the back cover, and the answer is revealed.

In fact, this invaluable 48-page guide, complete with 170-plus full-colour illustrations, answers 80 per cent of golfers' questions without even having to flip open the booklet, thanks to the illustrated back-cover chart.

Just like a low round of golf, Golf Rules Quick Reference 2008-2011 proves good things do come in small packages. In seconds, any golfer can refer to this guide, avoiding arguments, saving strokes and speeding up a round. It's a great plastic-coated flip guide that, according to the author, can boost anyone's game - even a touring pro.

"The fact is, most golfers, including many tour professionals, don't have a thorough knowledge of all the Rules of Golf, other than the basics," says Ton-That, an international rules official for more than a decade. "My latest booklet provides quick answers to rules and regulations thanks to its 170 illustrations and easy-to-understand language instead of dry, legal verbiage nobody understands. Storing (it) in your golf bag will enable you to avoid embarrassment and arguments, and will also allow you to take full advantage of the various relief procedures and free drops you weren't aware of before."

There are eight sections in Golf Rules Quick Reference 2001-2011: Basics/dropping; Tee; Fairway & Rough; Bunker; Water Hazard; Out/Provisional Ball; Green; and Ball Moved/Deflected.

The original book by Ton-That was voted second-best new product at the 2004 PGA Merchandise Show, and captured a Golf Europe Product Award for second-best new accessory product for 2008. The new edition has become a popular item at pro shops and golf retail outlets, since it, too, provides instant help in clearing up hazy situations involving the often-confusing Rules of Golf.

The answer to the ball unplayable question? All except for water hazard. All I had to do was flip over the booklet, and read the answer. Now only if the game of golf was this easy.

Visit Golfrulesmadeeasy.com for more information on this rules book - a nice addition to any golfer's game.

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Jeffrey Reed is the editor and proprietor of londonontariogolf.com and a member of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada.