Rules question on bunkers

I was asked this the other day and didn't know the answer - I hope some one can help.

You are about to play a shot (20-30 yards) over a bunker to the green. You notice the bunker looks like 20 people have trodden thru it.
Can you enter the bunker and rake it before playing the shot on the small chance you fluff the shot into the bunker.

Any thoughts ??

Angus

That would be a clear breach of Rule 13-2

A player must not improve or allow to be improved: · his line of play
by any of the following actions: · creating or eliminating irregularities of surface,

It is because you may fluff your shot that it is prohibited. The same prohibition to fixing poor ground (eg divot holes) applies anywhere on the course.

You cannot improve your lie.........Here are some other things you cannot do in the bunker.... You cannot ground your club in the bunker prior to hitting the ball (stroke penalty)...you cannot bring a rake with you into the bunker (stroke penalty).......

here was a fun little story

A couple years ago sergio had a bunker shot. He hit the ball poorly it was a big bunker that wrapped around the green. it hit the side of the green and spun back into the bunker......sergio had no idea it went off the green but it was a poor shot and he was mad and slammed his wedge into the bunker. Because it was one big massive bunker and the ball was still in the same bunker he grounded his club...one stroke penalty.....even though he had no idea it was there....

I once played with a guy who was put in the unfortunate position of hitting out of someone's foot print. He said "I hope this guy f%&*s bettter than he rakes."

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Taking rake into bunker

I think you’ll find that as long as you only drop it or place it (thus avoiding testing the sand) taking a rake into the bunker is not only allowed [See Decision 13.4/22] but also recommended by those of us with an obsession about this sort of thing as a good way of saving time.

Raking just in case

As AAA says this would [See Decision 13.4/37.5] be a breach of Rule 13.2. There are however exceptions. For example, if you are waiting to play and your opponent walks in the bunker then you are entitled to have it restored (raked) to former condition, and there are also exceptions once you are in the hazard e.g. if you play out backward then you can have the bunker raked even though it is still on the line of play

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Angus

Although useful, the other replies are concerned with a ball actually in a bunker. Rule 13-4
This situation of improving your line of play is not specific to bunkers. Rule 13-2

must be a new rule bdl...was playing with a guy that got called for putting rake in bunker.....4 years ago i believe

oh and i missed that the ball WAS NOT ACTUALLY in the bunker.....Cmon angus...that isnt the best mindset to go into a shot!

What most people fail to consider is..bunkers are Hazards..lol...there is no rule in golf that a bunker must be raked, it is for aesthetic purposes and to help the greens keepers out. Raking is more pleasant looking and helps prevent grass from growing in the sand. Some course have no rakes, it is done only in the morning by the greens keepers, which makes them play more like hazards.

bunkers are hazzards? Where are they staked off? I didnt know bunkers were hazzards

http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/pdf/2008ROG.pdf

Here are the rules of golf USGA, page 16 and 20 under definitions

"A “hazard” is any bunker or water hazard."

and

"A “bunker” is a hazard consisting of a prepared area of ground,
often a hollow, from which turf or soil has been removed and
replaced with sand or the like.
Grass-covered ground bordering or within a bunker, including a
stacked turf face (whether grass-covered or earthen), is not part
of the bunker. A wall or lip of the bunker not covered with grass
is part of the bunker. The margin of a bunker extends vertically
downwards, but not upwards.
A ball is in a bunker when it lies in or any part of it touches the
bunker."

My guess is stakes are only used to denote a hazard where the ball is unplayable, traps are playable and the boundaries are pretty evident..lol...there is little doubt when your in one, which also is the reason you can not ground the club or test the conditions of the sand, because it is a hazard.

Too expand on my earlier comment regarding no rule to rake sand. There are plenty of rules about sand traps, ie..where to place rakes, how to rake etc...but if you don't rake a trap, there is NO penalty, poor ETIQUETTE for sure, but not a penalty.

Rule 13-4 will cover all the prohibited action while dealing with hazards.

Actually you can, 2008 has some rule changes, you still can't touch the sand with the club, but you can bring the rake with you, it can touch the sand, you can lean on it, lay it down etc...but you can't use it to test the sand...lol...

2008 list of new decisions
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/pd...wDecisions.pdf
change to rule 13-4 page 11

Indianagolf

You have always been able to take a rake in a bunker with you.

The new decision (13-4/0.5) only gives examples of what you may or may not do. It hasn't actually changed anything.

See Dec 13-4/20 prior to 2008 (now redundant)

and 13-4/21 which has been there for years.

aaa I think your right, I didn't remember it being a penalty either, but I do remember my golf coach years, and years, and years...lol...ago, jumping my ass pretty hard when I did that or forgot to rake them...he was always mumbling some thing about ETIQUETTE.

This is a little off topic, but as a side note. Most people think, mistakenly that you get a stroke penalty for being in a hazard, which is wrong, you do NOT get a stroke penalty for being in a hazard. You get the penalty for not being able to play your original ball and having to move it or replace it. You can declare your ball unplayable in a trap if you want too, if you suck really bad at trap play...lol... take your stroke drop behind the trap, and be on your way. If you are one those folks who skull sand shots from time to time and there is water on the other side of the green, it might be a wise option to do just that...lol

You can also if in a water hazard not take a stroke penalty and play it out of the water, if you can hit it out, some times if the ball is half in/out of water or in very shallow water, you can hit it. Out of bounds is the only place where it is mandatory to play another ball, weather you can hit it or not, OB is not considered a hazard.

The pros get fined $500 if they don't rake their bunker trail

[quote]You can declare your ball unplayable in a trap if you want too, ---
take your stroke drop behind the trap, and be on your way. [quote]

Under the 'unplayable' rule the only way you can get to play your ball from outside the bunker is to go back to your original position. If you want to do otherwise the drop must be in the bunker.

Try this, you might get to know a bit more

http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/books/rules.html