Bunker Rules

[evahakool]

Anyone help with two bunker rules.One if ball rests on a rack in bunker and ball moves after moving rack is this a penalty?Two what is the ruling if ball lands next to opponants in bunker and cant play your ball without hitting other ball?

 

[Twire]

Remove the rake, and replace the ball if it moves - no penalty

Mark one of the balls and lift, play other ball, rake bunker, replace lifted ball and play - no penalty

 

[JezzE]

Eva,
To cut a couple of potentially long stories short...
In the first instance the ball should be replaced without penalty (the only 'penalty' being that you're almost certainly on an awkward downslope right against the back of the bunker!)
In the second instance, the other ball can be marked and moved while one player plays and then replaced. If the first player's shot has altered the original lie, it should be recreated as closely as possible before the second player replaces his ball and plays

 

[evahakool]

Thanks for clearing that up,good to get the ruling nothing worse than getting penalized for not knowing the rules.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

On a similar note - where should the rack be placed in a bunker? Should it be to the back of the bunker? Wouldn't this infringe with balls running into the bunker?

Apologies if this is a duff post but whenever I rake over a bunker I always wonder where the rack should go to minimise interference.

 

[USER1999]

Just chuck the rake in the middle. If it gets hit, at least the guy will get a decent lie.

 

[Twire]

On a similar note - where should the rack be placed in a bunker? Should it be to the back of the bunker? Wouldn't this infringe with balls running into the bunker?

Where possible it should be placed in line of play, with the prongs towards the middle of the bunker and about 6 inches of handle sticking out. This should allow the ball to have a half decent lie, and also make it easy for the next person to pick up the rake.

 

[viscount17]

different clubs, different rules.
some specify at the side furthest from the fairway, some just at the side, some not in the bunker, some don't say anything, best have stands. worst I've seen was two broken rakes between three bunkers.

 

[justhitthething]

Eva,
To cut a couple of potentially long stories short...
In the first instance the ball should be replaced without penalty (the only 'penalty' being that you're almost certainly on an awkward downslope right against the back of the bunker!)
In the second instance, the other ball can be marked and moved while one player plays and then replaced. If the first player's shot has altered the original lie, it should be recreated as closely as possible before the second player replaces his ball and plays

My understanding as well. To add a little, in the first instance you should mark the ball before moving the rake (not sure whether that is just good practice or penalty if you dont) and in both instances you are not allowed to clean the ball being replaced. Therefore you must pick it up in a manner that could not be deemed to be cleaning it, and replace it in the same way. Between thumb and forefinger works.

 

[backwoodsman]

Here you go - the following taken from the miscellaneous section of the R&A's "Decisions" Book

"There is not a perfect answer for the position of rakes, but on balance it is felt there is less likelihood of an advantage or disadvantage to the player if rakes are placed outside of bunkers.

It may be argued that there is more likelihood of a ball being deflected into or kept out of a bunker if the rake is placed outside the bunker. It could also be argued that if the rake is in the bunker it is most unlikely that the ball will be deflected out of the bunker.

However, in practice, players who leave rakes in bunkers frequently leave them at the side which tends to stop a ball rolling into the flat part of the bunker, resulting in a much more difficult shot than would otherwise have been the case. This is most prevalent at a course where the bunkers are small. When the ball comes to rest on or against a rake in the bunker and the player must proceed under Rule 24-1, it may not be possible to replace the ball on the same spot or find a spot in the bunker which is not nearer the hole – see Decision 20-3d/2.

If rakes are left in the middle of the bunker the only way to position them is to throw them into the bunker and this causes damage to the surface. Also, if a rake is in the middle of a large bunker it is either not used or the player is obliged to rake a large area of the bunker resulting in unnecessary delay.

Therefore, after considering all these aspects, it is recommended that rakes should be left outside bunkers in areas where they are least likely to affect the movement of the ball.

Ultimately, it is a matter for the Committee to decide where it wishes rakes to be placed".

So - stick it where you like is about the answer.

 

[Golfmmad]

To carry on the bunker theme, at my course,as it's flat,there are problems with water in the bunkers after heavy rain and some take a long time to drain away. In fact the worst three have been filled in during the summer. There is a "Local" rule where if your ball lands in the water, you can place it at the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole, without penalty.
Is this similar at other courses where the committee make a ruling?

Golfmmad.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would prefer it to have rakes left outside the bunkers and take my chances whether the ball rebounds into sand or not. I've been penalised with balls against the back lip in several competitions lately with the rake stopping it.

 

[Fore]

To carry on the bunker theme, at my course,as it's flat,there are problems with water in the bunkers after heavy rain and some take a long time to drain away. In fact the worst three have been filled in during the summer. There is a "Local" rule where if your ball lands in the water, you can place it at the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole, without penalty.
Is this similar at other courses where the committee make a ruling?

Golfmmad.

I found this description of what to do about Casual Water:

'Excessive rain can cause small areas of the green, fairway and bunker to become flooded. These areas are described as “casual water” in the Royal and Ancient rulebook. If there’s casual water directly between your ball and the pin when you are putting, you can reposition the ball - but not move it nearer the hole in the process.

In The Bunker
If your ball lands in casual water you can lift it out and drop it on the nearest dry area without penalty. In a bunker the nearest point of relief must be in that same bunker – and not the nearest dry point on the fairway or green.

If you lose your ball in casual water you can drop another one without penalty near to the point where you think it landed – providing your partners agree. You pick up a one-stroke penalty, as with a normal lost ball, if your partners don’t agree that the ball finished in casual water.

On The Green
When your path to the pin is obstructed by an area of casual water you can place your ball on the nearest dry point at the same distance away from the hole – the rules don’t let you move closer to the hole.'

 

[muttleee]

There is a "Local" rule where if your ball lands in the water, you can place it at the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole, without penalty.
Is this similar at other courses where the committee make a ruling?

I've never heard of being allowed to place the ball in the bunker in that situation. Some courses will declare flooded bunkers to be GUR, so you can then take relief outside the bunker without penalty.

 

[mikevet]

If you come upon casual water in a bunker you get a free drop according to normal rules within the bunker. If the bunker is flooded you can drop outside the bunker (no nearer the hole) but incur a penalty stroke - a bunker is a hazard after all and not mean't to be easy!