Hitting the face of the bunker...

[Davey247]

Had an incident earlier this year in matchplay which we decided would go unpunished because we didn't know the ruling.

I was in a bunker, steadying my feet and waving my club about in a semi back swing practice kinda way and the club head hit the face of the bunker - not sand, but a vertical mud face.

I know that the club touch the sand is a penalty stroke, but there was no sand where I hit the bunker face. It also wasn't in an attempt to play the ball that I hit the face.

We tied the hole and I lost by 1 so it didn't effect the outcome, but the pro in the shop couldn't find any sort of ruling for this either.

What do you folks think?? Is there a rule that this would come under?

 

[Colin L]

You should have lost the hole (2 stroke penalty in stroke play).

The references you need are from the Definition of a bunker
A wall or lip of the bunker not covered with grass is part of the bunker.

and Rule13-4b,
the player must not:..........
b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club;

You would expect the face/wall of a bunker to be earthen rather than sand and it doesn't matter whether you were attempting to play the ball or not. 13-4b makes no distinction as to when or how the touching happens.

 

[rulefan]

The mud/soil face of a bunker is in the bunker. The prohibition is not touching sand but touching the ground in in the hazard (ie bunker) with you club or hand. The rule is 13-4 and the penalty in matchplay is loss of hole.

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-13/#13-4

 

[cliveb]

This bit interests me:

and Rule13-4b,
the player must not:..........
b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club;

The rule seems to be saying that the club must not touch the *water* in a water hazard. Does this mean that if the ball is lying in the fringe of a water hazard (ie. within the marked boundary of the hazard but not in the water), you are allowed to ground the club? I had always assumed this was not allowed.

(Maybe the wording of the rule is ambiguous - perhaps it should say "the player must not touch the ground in any type of hazard, and in addition must not touch the water in a water hazard").

 

[Colin L]

(Maybe the wording of the rule is ambiguous - perhaps it should say "the player must not touch the ground in any type of hazard, and in addition must not touch the water in a water hazard").

Yes, that's what it is saying. You cannot touch the ground in the water hazard. The additional phrase is needed because the water does not constitute "the ground".

 

[Foxholer]

(Maybe the wording of the rule is ambiguous - perhaps it should say "the player must not touch the ground in any type of hazard, and in addition must not touch the water in a water hazard").

The wording is not ambiguous at all. It covers both types of hazard. Think Venn diagrams if you are that way inclined!

By (deliberate) omission, there is no penalty for touching (casual) water in a bunker.

The Rules are written quite precisely - without superfluous expansion (unlike the last 3 words!. They mean exactly what they say, no more and no less. It's only when we interpret the wording that possible issues arise - and the, reasonable, one here is whether the face of the bunker is 'ground' (Yes it is).

 

[rulefan]

It does not say "Touch the ground in the bunker .." it says "Touch the ground in the hazard .."

'Hazard' embraces both bunkers and water hazards.

 

[Davey247]

Thanks all. Will be more careful in the future

 

[pogle]

You should have lost the hole (2 stroke penalty in stroke play).

The references you need are from the Definition of a bunker
A wall or lip of the bunker not covered with grass is part of the bunker.

and Rule13-4b,
the player must not:..........
b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club;

You would expect the face/wall of a bunker to be earthen rather than sand and it doesn't matter whether you were attempting to play the ball or not. 13-4b makes no distinction as to when or how the touching happens.

While 13-4b itself makes no distinction, it should be noted that the Exceptions to 13-4 does give the circumstances in which there is no penalty for touching the ground in a hazard (e.g. to prevent yourself falling, or whilst measuring).

 

[Colin L]

While 13-4b itself makes no distinction, it should be noted that the Exceptions to 13-4 does give the circumstances in which there is no penalty for touching the ground in a hazard (e.g. to prevent yourself falling, or whilst measuring).

Thank you. I'll note that.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

I just popped on to ask a question by starting a thread but this thread seems to be appropriate.

My ball landed on the grassy slope in a hazard through which a rivulet runs.
Each side of the rivulet has hazard post markings.
I was on the upslope to the green.
On stepping into the hazard I noticed my club face was messy from an earlier shot.
I dipped it into the water.
I was told at the time that was a penalty for grounding my club in a hazard.
I've been told since that it's not as I wasn't addressing the ball.
Which is correct please?

Also, does a practice swing, a few inches away from the ball, that clips the top of the grass constitute "grounding the club"?

 

[rulefan]

I just popped on to ask a question by starting a thread but this thread seems to be appropriate.

My ball landed on the grassy slope in a hazard through which a rivulet runs.
Each side of the rivulet has hazard post markings.
I was on the upslope to the green.
On stepping into the hazard I noticed my club face was messy from an earlier shot.
I dipped it into the water.
I was told at the time that was a penalty for grounding my club in a hazard.
I've been told since that it's not as I wasn't addressing the ball.
Which is correct please?

Also, does a practice swing, a few inches away from the ball, that clips the top of the grass constitute "grounding the club"?

Your penalty is for touching the water in a water hazard.

Rule 13-4b. Ball In Hazard; Prohibited Actions
the player must not:
b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club

 

[Colin L]

In answer to your second question, touching grass or any other growing thing in the hazard with your practice swing does not constitute touching the ground/ grounding your club.

Several practice swishes through long grass might constitute testing the hazard but that's not what you describe.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Your penalty is for touching the water in a water hazard.

Rule 13-4b. Ball In Hazard; Prohibited Actions
the player must not:
b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club

Thanks for replying.
I can understand the rule but would it apply in spirit if I simply washed off some mud whilst a foot or so from the ball?
I've never done it since but I've had conflicting opinions from players.

Also, what about the practice swing clipping grass?

 

[Colin L]

Thanks for replying.
I can understand the rule but would it apply in spirit if I simply washed off some mud whilst a foot or so from the ball?

Yes it would apply. Use the spirit to clean your club

Or more seriously, you could dip an end of a towel in the water and use the towel provided you didn't touch the water with hand or club.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Thanks :thup: