Improper Drop - is there a penalty?

[Big C]

During one of my recent rounds, I hooked my tee ball into a lake on the left. As I extended my arm to prepare for the drop, I inadvertently "flung" the ball with my wrist and the sent it a yard to the right and into the fairway.

I immediately recognized the mistake, but instead of asking for clarification or a ruling, I just picked the ball back up and re-dropped it into the rough. I have no idea what compelled me to toss the ball originally (probably had something to do with the 6 pack I had already consumed), but did I handle it correctly, or is there a penalty for an illegal drop that needed to be asessed?

[Dormie1360]

No, no penalty because you corrected the error.  There would, obviously be a penalty if you did not.

Dropping in an incorrect manner and not correcting is a 1 stroke penalty.  Sounds like you may have also dropped in a wrong place, which would be a 2 stroke penalty if not corrected.

20-2 . Dropping And Re-Dropping

a . By Whom and How

A ball to be dropped under the Rules must be dropped by the player himself. He must stand erect, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length and drop it. If a ball is dropped by any other person or in any other manner and the error is not corrected as provided in Rule 20-6 , the player incurs a penalty of one stroke .

If the ball, when dropped, touches any person or the equipment of any player before or after it strikes a part of the course and before it comes to rest, the ball must be re-dropped, without penalty. There is no limit to the number of times a ball must be re-dropped in these circumstances.

(Taking action to influence position or movement of ball – see Rule 1-2 )