Grounding club in a hazard.

[Sid Rixon IV]

Pitching over a stream to the green today my ball plugged heavily in the far bank over the stream just short of (but beneath) the green.
There are hazard post markers and my ball was within the hazard.
Not grounding my club, I took a huge sodden divot with my shot and got my ball just outside the hazard markers and just off the green.
Before stepping away from the hazard I dragged my club blade through the grass to remove the thick mud.
My opponent claimed I had now grounded my club in a hazard.
Because my ball was no longer in a hazard my "common sense" tells me that's rubbish.
(It was a friendly and there was no escalation.)
Who is right?

 

[Spuddy]

You're right. Once the balls out of the hazard you can ground it. It's the same as raking a bunker with you're club if you don't have a rake.

The wording of the rule roughly says 'before playing a ball in a hazard the player must not...'. If the balls not in there, the rule doesn't apply.

 

[backwoodsman]

Your friend needs to read rule 13-4 the start of which says "... before making a stroke... must not ... touch ground...". Nuff sed

 

[rulefan]

He doesn't need to read the rule, the heading is sufficient.

[h=3]13-4. Ball In Hazard; Prohibited Actions[/h]

The ball isn't in a hazard,so read no further.

 

[palindromicbob]

Another hand over the rule book and ask to be shown scenario.

 

[delc]

Pitching over a stream to the green today my ball plugged heavily in the far bank over the stream just short of (but beneath) the green.
There are hazard post markers and my ball was within the hazard.
Not grounding my club, I took a huge sodden divot with my shot and got my ball just outside the hazard markers and just off the green.
Before stepping away from the hazard I dragged my club blade through the grass to remove the thick mud.
My opponent claimed I had now grounded my club in a hazard.
Because my ball was no longer in a hazard my "common sense" tells me that's rubbish.
(It was a friendly and there was no escalation.)
Who is right?

You are. It is only prior to taking your stroke in a hazard that you are not allowed to ground your club. Sounds like your opponent believes in another urban myth!

 

[backwoodsman]

He doesn't need to read the rule, the heading is sufficient.

[h=3]13-4. Ball In Hazard; Prohibited Actions[/h]

The ball isn't in a hazard,so read no further.

Fair point...

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Thanks everyone.