Rakes - Inside the bunker or not

[HomerJSimpson]

Had a shocker in a practice round last week when my ball rolled into a bunker and was stopped by a rake in the bunker right under the back lip. No shot.

Should rakes be in or out. Personally I'd love to see all rakes outside and if you get a break by it stopping you going in then so much the better. Surely better than it making what should have been a simple shot into something the pros wouldn't be able to deal with

 

[kid2]

Had a shocker in a practice round last week when my ball rolled into a bunker and was stopped by a rake in the bunker right under the back lip. No shot.

Should rakes be in or out. Personally I'd love to see all rakes outside and if you get a break by it stopping you going in then so much the better. Surely better than it making what should have been a simple shot into something the pros wouldn't be able to deal with

Had a similar one Sunday Homer.....
I skulled a 5 iron from 170mtrs that cut daisey's in half on its way towards a shallow greenside bunker below a raised green.....I was screaming at it to miss the bunker and couldn't see where it wound up until i got closer.....My ball was wedged under a rake right in the middle of the bunker....I cursed a bit as the sand was so hard it probably would have ran through and out the other side were it not for the rake......Suffice to say i hit a great shot and stitched it to the flag for a par....

I still think that they should be outside the bunkers though.

 

[upsidedown]

We have a hole in the ground just on the side of the bunker so we can put the handle of the rake into it ( sticks up by about 3 foot) . Have had this system in place for over a year now and not heard of anyone hitting the rake so far.
Our course is pretty free draining so very rarely do you get a wet handle, guess probably not such a good idea in wetter climes or courses

 

[Imurg]

My only issue with rakes being outside the bunker is that the rake could stop the ball going in..
And lets face it, bunkers are supposed to be hazards....

 

[rosecott]

Had a shocker in a practice round last week when my ball rolled into a bunker and was stopped by a rake in the bunker right under the back lip. No shot.

Should rakes be in or out. Personally I'd love to see all rakes outside and if you get a break by it stopping you going in then so much the better. Surely better than it making what should have been a simple shot into something the pros wouldn't be able to deal with

You haven't been paying attention.

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?43699-Rakes-and-Bunkers&p=630012#post630012

 

[SocketRocket]

We tend to lay rakes half in the bunker with the shaft sticking out paralell the fairway. I prefer courses that have a rake stand so there is no question where it should be placed.

 

[Jay1]

I think rake in bunker. If you get a bit of bad luck in a bunker, tough, it's supposed to be a hazard and you're not supposed to be in there. When a ball is stopped going in a bunker by a rake left outside, that doesn't seem right to me.

The only thing I don't like is when there are 2 rakes for a big bunker and people leave both at one end, because I'm lazy and don't want to have to walk all the way round to get them.

 

[BTatHome]

The problem with leaving them outside is where to leave them, if you leave them fairly close to the edge then it can disadvantage a player if it stops near the edge ... Have you ever played a shot where the ball is outside but your stood inside the bunker?

I've seen pictures of rakes hidden in the ground, that look very nice ... Probably far too expensive for most courses though.

 

[patricks148]

I play at a links course and we have a club policy that all rakes are left in the middle of the bunkers lying flat.

a few other clubs around here do the same.

 

[duncan mackie]

I play at a links course and we have a club policy that all rakes are left in the middle of the bunkers lying flat.

a few other clubs around here do the same.

so exactly how do you place these rakes carefully in the middle of the bunker and manage to get back out without making a single footprint?

 

[patricks148]

so exactly how do you place these rakes carefully in the middle of the bunker and manage to get back out without making a single footprint?

easy rake out and chuck the thing in the flat part, not rocket science

 

[Alex1975]

We have a hole in the ground just on the side of the bunker so we can put the handle of the rake into it ( sticks up by about 3 foot) . Have had this system in place for over a year now and not heard of anyone hitting the rake so far.
Our course is pretty free draining so very rarely do you get a wet handle, guess probably not such a good idea in wetter climes or courses

Is the handle of the rake not always sopping wet?

 

[BTatHome]

easy rake out and chuck the thing in the flat part, not rocket science

Hmmm, creating a nice crater where the rake dug into the sand ... I can here the moans of approval from the guy stuck in one of them now

 

[louise_a]

Our rule is rakes must be left in Bunkers.

I played a local course the other week and due to problems with rakes being stolen you have to take one round with you from a rack by the 1st tee, that is a pain!

 

[Iaing]

We've got thin wire supports which are sort of Y shaped stuck in the ground outside the bunkers with the head end of the rake resting on it.
Keeps most of the rake 12 inches off the ground.

 

[FairwayDodger]

All rakes should be left in the MIDDLE of the bunker.

My pet hate is rakes left at the edge or half in half out stopping your ball in an impossible situation.

 

[Imurg]

How about not having any rakes at all.

Bunkers would be a proper hazard and this question would be answered...

 

[upsidedown]

We have a hole in the ground just on the side of the bunker so we can put the handle of the rake into it ( sticks up by about 3 foot) . Have had this system in place for over a year now and not heard of anyone hitting the rake so far.
Our course is pretty free draining so very rarely do you get a wet handle, guess probably not such a good idea in wetter climes or courses

Is the handle of the rake not always sopping wet?

Bit of a clue there Alex , after periods of very heavy rain yes we might have a wet end of a handle ( metal handles ) not really an issue.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Rakes got to be in the bunkers - shouldn't stop ball going in.

My place has the request that after use rakes should be placed (as best you can) with the handle pointing towards the flag - fact is that rakes rarely seem to be hit, and if they are you rarely notice so wouldn't know one way or the other if your ball's resting position was better or worse than it otherwise would have been.

 

[FairwayDodger]

fact is that rakes rarely seem to be hit, and if they are you rarely notice so wouldn't know one way or the other if your ball's resting position was better or worse than it otherwise would have been.

Nope, I've been left with no shot in a bunker on more than one occasion after a rake stopped it right at the edge. The ball would definitely have gone further in otherwise. Put the rakes in the middle or I will come and get you!

:sbox: