Bunker Dilema!

Here's the scenario: I'm in a huge bunker, i play my first shot - and the ball moves forward a few yards, but is still in the bunker!! Am i allowed to clean the area where i played the ball from, and then move onto to my second bunker shot? If I do this - will i incur any penalties? Or must i wait until i am out of the bunker before i clean up??
Thanks!
Kalulu!

You have to wait until you are completly out of the bunker before you rake. Match play is loss of hole, stroke play is 2 shots.

No the exception to Rule 13-4 allows this particular situation

After making the stroke, the player or his caddie may smooth sand or soil in the hazard, provided that, if the ball is still in the hazard or has been lifted from the hazard and may be dropped or placed in the hazard, nothing is done that improves the lie of the ball or assists the player in his subsequent play of the hole.

See also Decision 13-4/36

Exception 2 to Rule 13-4 permits smoothing, provided that the lie of the ball is not improved and the player is not assisted in his subsequent play of the hole. The claim that A’s smoothing of the sand assisted him in his subsequent play of the hole would only be valid if, as a result of a subsequent stroke in the bunker, A’s ball came to rest in the smoothed area.

Interesting. I always waited until I was out. And when there were 2 players in the same bunker, we all waited until everyone was out. The reason being that what happens if a shot is played and the ball rolls backward past where you were. If you were playing second, you might now be in the foot prints of the first player's shot or divot. The first player is now compelled to not rake becase this would put you in a legal disadvantage. So we never raked.

What is the ruling then, if after raking your first attempt, your second attempt rolls backward to the place where you just raked in your first attempt. This is now in breach of the "exception".

So, just don't rake. Be safe. Unless you are not playing in a tournament or a big $ match. And you are out there on Sunday with your buddies and want to keep up the pace. Then rake as you go!

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I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

Yes, I agree. You are safer to rake after you've managed to get out.

There is a reference to a similar situation in this months edition of 'Today's Golfer'.

Stephen Ames, during the Players Championship (which he won).

On the 10th, he was in a bunker, and after his first attempt - failing to hit the ball out of the bunker - he used his club to smooth his footprints before addressing the ball a second time.

According to the match commitee as well as the staff at Today's Golfer this is not a breach of the regulations.

Even 'worse' - they actually claim that it is now legal to rest your club on the sand at address on the second attempt, since having already made one stroke in the sand, further contact with the sand does not qualify as 'testing'.

How's that for a helping hand in those situations where we hackers are using 5 or 6 strokes to get out of a pot-hole bunker?! We can actually get a proper address on the second attempt, clearly improving our chances of getting a good stroke in.

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//Mox
2008 bag:
Mizuno MX-500 460cc 10.5* Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff. (about to be replaced by MP-600 10,5* UST Proforce V2 stiff)
Mizuno F-50 3w 15* Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff.
Wilson Deep Red 5w 18* Graphalloy Fatshaft stiff
Cleveland HALO 3i hybrid 22* graphite regular
Mizuno MP-60e forged 5i-PW True Temper Dynamic gold R300 steel
Mizuno MP Black OX raw haze 50/6 GW, 54/9 SW, 58/10 LW
Heavy Putter B3-M
Titleist NXT Extreme