Rake Placement in Bunker - Reader - I pulled up a FC

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

And the right way is a matter of opinion. In damp conditions the centre of the bunker is always the first place to flood.

Resulting in a drop and plugged lie in the bunker. Great.

Not true with our newly rebuilt bunkers - they drain very quickly and very successfully.

And rake position is not a matter of opinion. Our club requests that rakes are placed in the centre of the bunker pointing to the flag. Whether you agree with that or not is irrelevant - it is what we ask, and most members try and adhere to that request. In that way any interference from a rake in deflecting or stopping a ball occurs consistently across all holes and all bunkers.

The same issue now arises with us when rakes are placed just inside the bunker with rake head resting close to the bunker (rear) face with handle sticking out - almost upright given the steep and quite deep face. A ball going into the bunker at that point would both be stopped by the rake head from rolling into the centre of the bunker, and would be trapped against the back edge and unplayable towards the green.

 

[Backache]

And the right way is a matter of opinion. In damp conditions the centre of the bunker is always the first place to flood.

Resulting in a drop and plugged lie in the bunker. Great.

I've yet to see a ball lying on a rake properly placed, if it's on the sand held up by the rake you place the ball in its original spot rather than dropping it.

 

[KenL]

That increases the green keepers work as they have to get off the mowers to move them before they can continue.

So what?

 

[Jacko_G]

Not true with our newly rebuilt bunkers - they drain very quickly and very successfully.

And rake position is not a matter of opinion. Our club requests that rakes are placed in the centre of the bunker pointing to the flag. Whether you agree with that or not is irrelevant - it is what we ask, and most members try and adhere to that request. In that way any interference from a rake in deflecting or stopping a ball occurs consistently across all holes and all bunkers.

The same issue now arises with us when rakes are placed just inside the bunker with rake head resting close to the bunker (rear) face with handle sticking out - almost upright given the steep and quite deep face. A ball going into the bunker at that point would both be stopped by the rake head from rolling into the centre of the bunker, and would be trapped against the back edge and unplayable towards the green.

Guess that depends on how well maintained and constructed the bunkers are and the age.

Your club can have rules all they like but the bottom line is they're not enforceable and are not governed by the rules of golf. I personally prefer takes to be left outside the bunker but will concede that appears to be a dying view.

 

[Jacko_G]

I've yet to see a ball lying on a rake properly placed, if it's on the sand held up by the rake you place the ball in its original spot rather than dropping it.

I've been up against plenty of takes in my time.

 

[jim8flog]

So what?

Say 50-60 bunkers on a course and 2 minutes getting off the mower moving the rake and getting back on the mower. That's nearly two hours of a green keepers time spent just picking up and moving rakes several days a week.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

A bunker is a hazard.....I dont get the arguement about ball and rakes in a hazard.
We have a club rule all rakes to be left in the bunker, no further than just in the bunker. You get some non members who leave them half in half out, but the rakes swiftly put into the bunker by other members.

 

[larmen]

Maybe there should be a rule, just to get some consistency into it and make it punishable when ignored. Just like not raking should get a penalty.

I got taught rake head in the bunker, rake pointing outside towards the tee.

 

[robinthehood]

Say 50-60 bunkers on a course and 2 minutes getting off the mower moving the rake and getting back on the mower. That's nearly two hours of a green keepers time spent just picking up and moving rakes several days a week.

Te reason for having rakes in the bunker pointing in a specific direction is 100% cosmetic. No other reason

 

[rulefan]

Q. Is it a rule???

A. No.

It is a strong recommendation.

 

[Jacko_G]

It is a strong recommendation.

Thanks I'll bare it in mind.

 

[Wolf]

In all honesty what would the club do realistically to a member or guest that didn't put the rakes in the bunker as requested. Seeing as it's not a rule and cannot be enforced as such.

I'm actually genuinely interested, because it seems more for aesthetics than much else. I was also always taught rake head in and handle out to make it easier to get to when entering a bunker.

 

[backwoodsman]

How about we all carry our own rake? Then we don't have to leave any lying about anywhere?

 

[rulefan]

Our club requests that rakes are placed in the centre of the bunker pointing to the flag.

How do you get it to the centre of a large bunker without walking into and out of it.
If it is thrown in, it could cause a large rut in the middle worse than an unraked footprint.

Incidentally, some years ago my club ruled that all rakes be left out, 1 rake length from the the bunker. There were no major objections, just a gradual ignoring the rule (mainly the 1 rake length). The effect was everyone did their own thing.
A new committee have ruled they should now be in. Result with half a season gone - everyone does their own thing.

 

[patricks148]

In all honesty what would the club do realistically to a member or guest that didn't put the rakes in the bunker as requested. Seeing as it's not a rule and cannot be enforced as such.

I'm actually genuinely interested, because it seems more for aesthetics than much else. I was also always taught rake head in and handle out to make it easier to get to when entering a bunker.

might not make much difference in a shallow parkland bunker, but makes a big difference in a deep reveted pot bunker

 

[rulefan]

How about we all carry our own rake? Then we don't have to leave any lying about anywhere?

Internal club regulations. Suspension of certain playing rights - quire common for non rules offences.

 

[backwoodsman]

Internal club regulations. Suspension of certain playing rights - quire common for non rules offences.

???

 

[Slab]

In our most important Open comp of the year. 10th hole of morning round one of my FCs (a fellow member) played out of a front greenside bunker; tidied the bunker up; then dropped the rake in the bunker so that it ran along the fairway-side inside edge of the bunker. That edge is a sheer 18" revetted face. A ball rolling into the bunker along a 6ft stretch would be trapped very close to the revetted face and no shot towards the green (never mind the flag) would have been possible.

I lightly, and in as friendly a way as I could, mentioned to that FC that I wouldn''t want to be the player whose ball rolls into the bunker and gets trapped by the rake. He looked at me a without speaking moved it to where it should be placed (ask requested by the club). He did not speak to me for a couple of holes and I think was in a grump with me for rest of round.

Was I right to speak as I did.

Only you two know but whats written could come over as sarcastic/critical (which I don't believe was your intent, as you say 'in as friendly way as I could') Even so he would've been a bit precious taking the huff just for that but you might want to have a couple of variations in your choice of words in case you come up against him again

Right to speak up? sure you were
Could it have been friendlier? sure it could
He was too precious? more than likely

 

[chrisd]

I much prefer the take to be left half in, half out of the bunker. When it's been wet and the rake is fully in the bunker the handle is usually covered in wet sand which gets on my hand and glove, half in half out generally stops this as only the end of the rake sits touching sand

 

[Capella]

Ahhh ... another rake placement thread ... we didn't have one in a while. I'll go get popcorn ...