Bunker rake.

[Eejit]

Playing in a mixed doubles comp at Newquay yesterday (alternate shots) the Lady we played against drove into a fairway bunker only for the ball to stop just short of the sand as someone had left the rake out of the bunker by about 2 inches, the guy marked the ball then removed the rake and the ball rolled down the slope into the bunker, he dropped it twice and it rolled in again then he said he couldnt place it on the downslope as it would roll in again and went a club length back to a flat lie having a better stance and promptly hit a good shot. Was this the correct procedure?

 

[Imurg]

The ball can roll 2 clublengths from where it first strikes the course when dropping. If it rolls into a hazard it must be re-dropped. If it rolls in again it must be placed on the spot where it first struck. If it still moves it must be placed as near as possible to the spot in a position wher it will not roll.

So I think you were done!!

 

[Fyldewhite]

He should have placed the ball as near as possible to where it was (not in the hazard) where he could get it to stay still.

There is no scope for a clublength drop in the rules. Ther term "as near as possible" will depend on the circumstances. Could be a couple of inches or several yards and anywhere in between depending on the lie of the land.

 

[Eejit]

Cheers Guys. You live and learn eh, we halved that hole and went on to lose the match 1 down to a half on the last....

 

[MashieNiblick]

Don't think he should have dropped the ball after it moved when the the rake was removed in the first place. Rule 24 -1a stipulates that if a ball moves when a moveable obstruction is removed it should be replaced (not dropped). You get a drop if the the ball is actually in or on the obstruction (24-1b) but not if it is just resting against it. Then if it wouldn't stay on its spot when replaced it should have been placed on the nearest spot not nearer the hole where it would stay put (20-3d).

I assume and hope the guy was just misguided but I wish people wouldn't just guess at the Rules. It's an unusual situation and in a comp, so always best to look it up in the Rule book, which of course all golfers should be carrying in their bags. It seems a common problem as forummers are regularly reporting things like this.

 

[jammydodger]

Agreed , he should mark the ball , remove the rake then replace the ball on the spot it was. If it rolls away then he must place the ball on the nearest spot that it wont roll away (no nearer the hole). Quite simple really and another instance of people just making rules up as they go along