Question: After how many metres can the ball go in when taking a free hit?
About the article "Field hockey", section "Free hits".

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Free hits are awarded when offences are committed outside the scoring circles (the term 'free hit' is standard usage but the ball need not be hit).
The ball may be hit, pushed or lifted in any direction by the team offended against.
The ball can be lifted from a free hit but not by hitting, you must flick or scoop to lift from a free hit.
(In previous rules versions hits in the area outside the circle in open play have been permitted but lifting one direction from a free hit prohibited).
Opponents must move from the ball when a free hit is awarded.
A free hit must be taken from within playing distance of the place of the offence for which it was awarded and the ball must be stationary when the free-hit is taken.
As mentioned above, a 15 m hit is awarded if an attacking player commits a foul forward of that line, or if the ball passes over the back line off an attacker.
These free hits are taken in line with where the foul was committed (taking a line parallel with the sideline between where the offence was committed, or the ball went out of play).
When an attacking free hit is awarded within 5 m of the circle everyone including the person taking the penalty must be five metres from the circle and everyone apart from the person taking the free hit must be five metres away from the ball.
When taking an attacking free hit the ball may not be hit straight into the circle if you are within your attacking 23 metre area (25 yard area).
It must travel 5 metres before going in.
The game has some unique to its ruleset, as well as the usual fouls of billiards games.
All fouls nullify any points the shooter would have earned on the foul shot, and award the opponent free points (which vary depending on the type of foul).
Knocking over pins with the shooter's own cue ball, after having hit the opponent's cue ball—this foul awards the point values of those pins to the opponent.
(In player jargon this is referred to as "drinking" one's points, as they are lost like the contents of an empty glass); opponent does "not" receive .
(Note: Knocking over pins with the red object ball on an otherwise legal shot is not a foul, and has no effect on the score (i.e., provided that the opponent's cue ball was struck first by one's own cue ball, either cue ball can be used to drive the object ball into the pins, provided that both cue balls make initial contact with each other.)
Failure to hit the opponent's cue ball at all with the shooter's own—opponent receives ball-in-hand plus 2 points.
Hitting the pins directly with the shooter's cue ball before any contact with the opponent's cue ball; opponent receives ball-in-hand plus 2 points (the erstwhile value of the knocked-over pins is not calculated at all).
Hitting the object ball directly with the shooter's cue ball before any contact with the opponent's cue ball; opponent receives ball-in-hand plus 2 points.
Knocking any ball off the table; opponent receives ball-in-hand plus 2 points (the ball is spotted in its starting position, or as close to this position as possible, unless it was the now-incoming opponent's cue ball, which as noted is in-hand).
the cue ball entirely or partially over an interfering ball; opponent receives ball-in-hand plus 2 points.
Standard billiards-wide fouls also apply and yield ball-in-hand plus 2 points (moving balls accidentally, the cue ball, , etc.
Because of the particularity of the first-listed foul above, players watch the game carefully, and tournaments have referees.
Any points earned by the shooter on a foul shot are awarded to the opponent (except when, as noted above, pin value is not calculated).
An "extra" 2 points go to the opponent if the object ball was correctly hit on an otherwise foul stroke (in addition to being awarded the 3 or 4 points the object ball was worth).
Ball-in-hand on fouls is not entirely free; the incoming shooter after a ball-in-hand foul can only place his/her cue ball on the opposite half of the table from the other cue ball, and must shoot from the end (short part) not side of the table.
The cue ball does not have to be placed in the (behind the head string), just within the proper half of the table. 
A free ball occurs after a foul shot where the resultant layout of the table leaves the opponent "".
The opponent of the player who committed the foul can choose any other ball on the table as a replacement for the "on" ball, and pot that as if it were the intended ball.
For example, if the ball "on" is a red, and the free ball is a pink, the player will receive one point for potting the pink (which is then respotted).
He then continues to attempt to pot a colour which, if successful, is followed by another red etc.
If a colour was ball on, and both the nominated ball and the actual ball on are potted, only the ball on is scored.
The free ball is spotted while, as this can only occur in the final stage of the frame, the ball on will stay off the table.
This is the only time while attempting to pot a colour that two balls can be pocketed without a foul occurring.
If the ball on is red and both the nominated and ball on are potted, then each ball potted is scored as a red, as would be typical if it were not a free ball.
The colour free ball is then spotted and the ball on remains off the table.
It is allowed to play a snooker using the free ball, providing the snooker does not leave all balls 'on' snookered behind the ball which has just been used as the ball 'on'.
It is allowed to cannon a ball nominated as a red into another red, so as to pot this (a "plant").
The only exception to this rule is if the "on" ball is a red that is being obstructed by another red.
For example, if the player breaking-off hits the white too soft and it does not hit the triangle of reds, a free-ball would not be called, even though no red can be hit on both sides, since the only thing preventing some of the reds being hit on both sides is another red.
A free ball scenario does not occur when the ball gets stuck at the edge of a pocket jaw (commonly referred to as "angled') in such a manner that the player is unable to hit any legitimate ball.
This is because according to the official snooker rules a ball is snookered only if its way is obstructed by balls not on.
In this scenario, after a foul, the player may choose to either take the shot from the current position or ask the offender to play again.
After a free ball, a coloured ball will be played if red balls are still on the table; if not, the player will continue with the lowest value ball. 
Usually when inside their own half of the field, an attacking team will use low-risk plays to attempt to gain metres while avoiding turning over possession.
Hit-upAlso known as a "drive", this is the act of taking a pass from the dummy-half and running straight into the opposition's defensive line without looking to pass.
Hit-ups are usually employed to gain low-risk metres early in the tackle-count, but a good hit-up can also result in a breach of the defensive line.
It also tires defenders, who have to stop an on-rushing opponent by putting their bodies on the line.
Defending players may be drawn in towards the player hitting the ball up in an effort to make a tackle, possibly leaving other parts of the defensive line weakened for other attackers should the ball-carrier manage to off-load the ball to a teammate.
Forwards are usually used for taking hit-ups because of their greater size (often over 100 kg) and strength, although most players on a team will take some hit-ups during a match.
Most sets of 6 usually involve at least one hit-up in order to build a position to attack from.
A set of five hit-ups and a kick is known as "one-out rugby", and is usually employed by teams that are struggling to make metres in attack.
Dummy-half ScootAn alternative to a hit-up is for the player in the acting-halfback position to run the ball himself, without passing.
This is often performed by quicker players as they are able to round the markers and make ground for their side.
Some teams use repeated dummy-half scoots with the intention of playing the ball quickly and catching defenders before they are able to properly position themselves.
This is known as "quick ball" or 'getting a roll on'. 
  Backward ball: The ball of a side that has scored fewer hoops (compare with 'forward ball').
Ball-in-hand: A ball that the striker can pick up to change its position, for example: # any ball when it leaves the court has to be replaced on the yard-line # the striker’s ball after making a roquet must be placed in contact with the roqueted ball # the striker’s ball when the striker is entitled to a lift.
Ball in play: A ball after it has been played into the game, which is not a ball in hand or pegged out.
Baulk: An imaginary line on which a ball is placed for its first shot in the game, or when taking a lift.
The A-baulk coincides with the western half of the yard line along the south boundary; the B-baulk occupies the eastern half of the north boundary yard line.
Bisque, half-bisque A bisque is a free turn in a handicap match.
A half-bisque is a restricted handicap turn in which no point may be scored.
Break down: To end a turn by making a mistake.
Continuation stroke: Either the bonus stroke played after running a hoop in order or the second bonus stroke played after making a roquet.
Croquet stroke: A stroke taken after making a roquet, in which the striker's ball and the roqueted ball are placed together in contact.
Double tap: A fault in which the mallet makes more than one audible sound when it strikes the ball.
Forward ball: The ball of a side that has scored more hoops (compare with 'backward ball').
Hoop: Metal U-shaped gate pushed into ground.
(Also called a wicket in the US).
Leave: The position of the balls after a successful break, in which the striker is able to leave the balls placed so as to make life as difficult as possible for the opponent.
Lift: A turn in which the player is entitled to remove the ball from its current position and play instead from either baulk line.
A lift is permitted when a ball has been placed by the opponent in a position where it is wired from all other balls, and also in advanced play when the opponent has completed a break that includes hoops 1-back or 4-back.
Object ball: A ball which is going to be rushed.
Peg out: To cause a rover ball to strike the peg and conclude its active involvement in the game.
Peel: To send a ball other than the striker's ball through its target hoop.
Pioneer: A ball placed in a strategic position near the striker's next-but-one or next-but-two hoop, to assist in running that hoop later in the break.
Primary colours or first colours: The main croquet ball colours used which are blue, red, black and yellow (in order of play).
Blue and black, and red and yellow, are played by the same player or pair.
Push: A fault when the mallet pushes the striker's ball, rather than making a clean strike.
Roquet: (Second syllable rhymes with "play".)
When the striker’s ball hits a ball that he is entitled to then take a croquet shot with.
At the start of a turn, the striker is entitled to roquet all the other three balls once.
Once the striker's ball goes through its target hoop, it is again entitled to roquet the other balls once.
Rover ball: A ball that has run all 12 hoops and can be pegged out.
Rover hoop: The last hoop, indicated by a red top bar.
The first hoop has a blue top.
Run a hoop: To send the striker’s ball through a hoop.
If the hoop is the hoop in order for the striker’s ball, the striker earns a bonus stroke.
Rush: A roquet when the roqueted ball is sent to a specific position on the court, such as the next hoop for the striker’s ball or close to a ball that the striker wishes to roquet next.
Scatter shot: A continuation stroke used to hit a ball which may not be roqueted in order to send it to a less dangerous position.
Secondary colours or second colours; also known as alternate colours: The colours of the balls used in the second game played on the same court in double-banking: green, pink, brown and white (in order of play).
Green and brown versus pink and white, are played by the same player or pair.
Sextuple peel (SXP): To peel the partner ball through its last six hoops in the course of a single turn.
Very few players have achieved this feat, but it is being seen increasingly at championship level.
Tice: A ball sent to a location that will entice an opponent to shoot at it but miss.
Triple peel (TP): To send a ball other than the striker’s ball through its last three hoops, and then peg it out.
See also Triple Peel on Opponent (TPO).
The significance of this manoevre is that in advanced play, making a break that includes the tenth hoop (called 4-back) is penalized by granting the opponent a lift (entitling him to take the next shot from either baulk line).
Therefore many breaks stop voluntarily with three hoops and the peg still to run.
Wired: When a hoop or the peg impedes the path of a striker's ball, or the swing of the mallet.
A player will often endeavour to finish a turn with the opponent's balls wired from each other.
Yard line: An imaginary line one yard from the boundary.
Balls that go off the boundary are generally replaced on the yard line (but if this happens on a croquet stroke, the turn ends).