I think it’s been said here several different ways, but to maybe clarify to BD2k. Any time the club is laying ON THE GROUND when you measure, you can use any club you want....period. Any time the club is IN YOUR HANDS to measure (you’re taking a stance), then you’re required to use the club you would hit. After all the measuring and dropping are done, you are free to hit with any club you want.

Example: Ball in lateral hazard. You decide to take two club lengths from the margin of the hazard. This is measured on the ground, no stance required, use any club you want.

Example: Ball on the cart path, light rough both sides, 180 yards out. You would normally hit a 5 iron, say. Use the five iron to take a stance to determine nearest relief. Mark the spot. Then pull out your driver and lay it on the ground to determine one club length from the spot you marked. Take your drop and play any club you like.

Why any club? What if you drop the ball and it bounces into a lone, particularly nasty patch of rough? It seems fair you’re allowed to use a wedge instead of the five iron to hork it out.. What if it settles into a "flyer" lie? It’s seems fair to that you’re allowed to compensate by choosing a six iron instead of the five.

From a practical standpoint, the difference in distance between a five iron stance and a wedge stance isn’t that much anyway.