HI DC,
In the absence of any replies to date, I will venture my opinion.
The answer, IMO to Q1 and the first part of Q2 are the same.
The ball in each case was ALWAYS in Play. The fact that it was lifted and dropped is irrelevant in this case. R20-2 says in part, " A ball to be lifted under the rules..etc", which indeed it was not.
The ball, therefore, was deemed, (there's that word again), to have been "moved", a penaty under R18-2a, or the general penalty under R18, if not replaced.

The answer to your last paragraph, IMO is NO. My understanding of R20-7 is that the player is penalised for a breach of the rule or rules.That stays in each case.ie R20-7 and R15-2.The penalty strokes incurred in playing that ball,(second ball) however, are disregarded in rectifying a serious breach.
Hopefully, I have not misunderstood your questions.
Regards, Ron.

Thanks for your reply Ron.

With D.18-2a/8 it seems to me that the player has played from a wrong place (20-7c) and the applicable rule seems to be R18 as you say. Is there a case for the applicable rule being R.25? IMO there could be a serious breach here. For example, in a case where, when the player first hits the ball from the GUR and it re-bounds off a tree or something else and ends up behind the point where he subsequently drops the ball under R.25-1b.

With D.18-2a/8.5, specifically the part I mentioned in my original question, IMO a serious breach could again occur in the re-bound scenario. In this case is the 2SP under R.15-2 cancelled if correction is required? (see D.20-7c/5 and Note 2 to R.20-7.) I'm not sure we agree on this point Ron.

DC

HI DC,
Apologies for not replying earlier. I have returned, recharged in body and "spirit" from a few days in bonnie Scotland.

I will confine my reply to your second paragraph. Firstly, because I think we agree, re the ball in play, in your first paragraph, and secondly, I must admit I am not too sure what is going on, with the ball bouncing all over the place etc.

DC, my interpretation and understanding of note 2 in R20-7c, is that the penalty is applied to the BREACH of the rule, and must be added to the players score for that hole. The same applies for a ball sustituted when not permitted to under the rules and played, is now the ball in play. R15-2, and carries a 2SP, to be added to the players score for the hole.

So a player who subsequently played from a WP is penalised 2strokes for the breach, and the same applies to a ball incorrectly substituted and played.

The stroke played from the WP, and any penalties incurred solely in the playing of the original ball (if the second ball is ruled to count),is, however, cancelled. Note, it says "strokes" not breach, is disregarded. Regards, Ron.