Practise Swing in Bunker

Could you settle a dispute,my pal says you can take a practice swing in a bunker.I say if you do you would be deemed as testing the sand with your feet(of course not touching the sand with the club).
Who's right?.
I have never seen a pro take a practice swing in a bunker,half swing yes.

Take as many practice cuts as you like. But don't touch the sand with your club - this includes your takeaway for when you do actually swing. Touching the sand with your club makes for testing.

Your pal is right.

Thanks, but i already stated that,the point I made was,is it deemed to have tested the sand with your feet.

For me a bunker is a wholly unnatural experience and I want to be in one for as little time as is possible, if at all...

Regardless of what the rule book might have to say on this (who actually reads it anyway, right... ) there is also the matter of time, how many practice swings do you want to take...???

Given you can't ground your club in the pot, I don't see that you can take a proper practice swing in a pot anyways...

All you can do is try to visualise it then play it and hope you get it right...

For me it's get in there, play your shot, and get out.

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Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe....

You can do what you want in a bunker, anything that causes you to touch the sand with anything other than your feet is a stroke.
- You are however allowed to prevent yourself from falling
- You can touch the sand whilst removing an obstruction.

Lowpost already answered your question. You are not considered to be testing the surface.

What you are not allowed to do is practice your swing in one part of the bunker and play your ball from another.

No. It is two penalty strokes.

Stroke
A “stroke’’ is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball.

Penalty Stroke
A “penalty stroke’’ is one added to the score of a player or side under certain Rules.

That's important. Lets say you dig in, take a couple practice cuts, decide you don't like your ball position (or you want to double check your line, or whatever). You back off, dig in again in a different spot (even a couple inches out), and play your ball. Result: 2 penalty strokes.

Once you've dug in, you can step out and play penalty free if you step back into your dugout.

in fourball or foursomes can you rake the bunker if your partner has to play another shot out of it?

fourball - you are both in the same bunker
foursomes - first guy leaves it in

I would guess not from 13-4.1

Lowpost I didnt see that in the R&A rules, can you point out the rule number?

Also, you are allowed to place your clubs in the hazard as long as you are not testing it. What does "places" your clubs mean?

Decision 13-4/25 if you mean

What you are not allowed to do is practice your swing in one part of the bunker and play your ball from another.

Simply putting them down while you consider or play your shot.

Decision 13-4/2: A player while in the hazard leans on his club while waiting for another to play - penalized.

Decision 13-4/24: A player enters the hazard without a club, digs in, swings his hands, leaves, gets his club, returns to the same place, and hits his stroke - in this instance, no penalty. If he came in with one club and dug in, then returned with another club and dug in - penalized.

Interestingly enough, 13-4/26: Rule 13-3 allows a player to place his feet firmly in taking his stance in a bunker or elsewhere. There is nothing in the Rules to prohibit changing clubs or taking a stance twice in a bunker.

I thought I had seen something on the golf channel to the effect of what I had previously mentioned. However, it seems that 13-3 would negate it.

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I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

For me it's a safety first idea...

If you're not sure and don't have a rule book handy (orr aaa's mobile phone number... ), then err on the side of caution. Our game is dificult enough without incurring penalties as you go...

We know we can not test the sand in any way. This could well be why we see so many of the tour guys n gals taking their practice swings before heading into the pot....

It is entirely fair to say I hate sand, unless I have a surf rod and not golf clubs with me at the time...

Cheers

__________________
Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe....

Well I guess you can test the sand legally, as you dig in with your feet.
The rules are there to stop you wandering around the bunker to get a feel for the sand and then selecting a club based on that...

I don't think you are allowed to dig
in with your feet on tour the way you
see so many golfers do in club play.
The R&A allows you to "firmly place,"
and the line between that and "building"
a stance may be thin, but it is there.your
For instance, if you have a downhill
lie in a hazard, you can't grind a hole for
your back foot and call it
"firmly" placing your foot. This common deal
where golfers dig themselves in, finding
out what's under there in the process,
would be challenged on tour, is my
guess.
On the other hand, if you call one of
your club members on it, get ready for
the thunder and lightning ,that's sure to
follow.