Rakes....where do you place it after using it?

[PJ87]

Personally I throw the rake to the middle of the bunker after raking it. That way the next user can always find it and is never too far away from it to think right there’s my shot where is the rake

 

[shortgame]

I choose not to use any rakes and just smooth some sand over with my wedge or shoe

That way I can't be accused of leaving the rake in the wrong place

 

[nickjdavis]

Middle of the bunker is an awful place to leave the rake....a players ball goes in the bunker....he has to walk into the bunker to get the rake leaving a load of footprints that need to be raked, then he has to get to his ball...another load of footprints to be raked. Plus to get the rake in the middle of the bunker it needs to be thrown....usually bounces leaving a furrow where the handle landed which can trap a ball....more *** to rake if you are going to be courteous to the players behind you.

Best place is as far into the bunker as possible, with the very last inch of the handle resting on the bunker edge, at 90 degrees to direction of play.

In this position there is no chance whatsoever that the last inch of the handle will either stop a ball going in the bunker or knock one in that wasn't going in. Because the rake is at 90 degrees to direction of play there should be clearance between the handle and the sand under which a ball could roll if travelling fast enough....giving it the opportunity to roll through and out of the bunker....if the rake faces the direction of play then the tines present a greater overall area that might stop a rolling ball.

Finally, if the ball should roll in to the bunker from the side and get stopped by the tines...because virtually the entire rake length is inside the bunker the ball would usually stop far enough into the bunker so that a player can make a stance to play his next shot.

By far and away though the worst place is inside the bunker, facing direction of play, up against the right/left edge....I do swear an awful lot when I find my ball trapped by a rake left in such a position.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As Imurg rightly said the best solution I've seen is to put them on little stands so only the head is in. Very unlucky if you then hit the stand. At the end of the day it's a hazard and we've all had that one where the ball trickles in and hits the rake handle and nestles against the back face. Mind you, how often a year does it really happen? As long as players actually rake the bunkers is more important to me than where they leave the rake

 

[rosecott]

The R&A agree that the middle of a bunker is an awful place to leave the rake:

https://www.randa.org/Rules-of-Golf...US/HANDICAPS#DCC3B15F3AC84734B5EEE6B0181C2342

Their final say on it - apart from saying the club should decide - is:

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.

 

[PJ87]

Maybe we should all just carry our own rake and be done with it .. end of discussion

 

[KenL]

As advised by R&A. We have stands to make them even less likely to affect play.

We still get lazy members and visitors ignoring this advice and leaving them wherever they fancy.

 

[huds1475]

Maybe we should all just carry our own rake and be done with it .. end of discussion

I might go into the custom rake-fitting business

 

[PJ87]

I might go into the custom rake-fitting business

Customise the pattern it leaves behind

 

[GaryK]

Maybe we should all just carry our own rake and be done with it .. end of discussion

That might work - just as long as it doesn't count as one of your 14. Got me wondering whether there are any potential situations where using a rake as a club could be advantageous.

 

[shortgame]

Ban them.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Ban them.

This looks like the best idea to me. The bunker is a hazard, so why not leave them so with only the green staff racking them.

 

[wull]

For me personally from a “greenkeepers” POV I leave them almost all the way in with just the handle resting on the edge.

My main reason for this is whilst out cutting fairways/surrounds I don’t have to jump off every 2 mins to shift them which increases effort, work time and also produces more mess because of stopping the reels dependant on weather conditions and growth.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Our course asks them to be left in the bunker with the handle out over the edge. Easy to pick up before going in, seems recently that some are now leaving them outside as well though. Doesn't make any odds to me where they are really, although I see the greenkeeeper perspective above, which makes a lot of sense, and also the argument that the rake outside may prevent the ball from actually going into a bunker.

 

[r0wly86]

I'm another one for most of the rake in the bunker, with the handle resting on the edge.

It annoys me that if the rake is in the middles of the bunker and my ball is at the front then I have to walk through the bunker to get the rake, then have to rake the footprints I've just made retrieving the rake.

With the handle on the edge I can walk around the bunker, pick it up ad take it to where my ball is and where I will need it.

I do like the fishing pole holder things though, but only seen them as a handful of course

 

[patricks148]

I'm another one for most of the rake in the bunker, with the handle resting on the edge.

It annoys me that if the rake is in the middles of the bunker and my ball is at the front then I have to walk through the bunker to get the rake, then have to rake the footprints I've just made retrieving the rake.

With the handle on the edge I can walk around the bunker, pick it up ad take it to where my ball is and where I will need it.

I do like the fishing pole holder things though, but only seen them as a handful of course

probably fine at a parkland course at a links with pot bunkers leaving it half in is a killer, the reason we have ours in the middle of the bunker

 

[r0wly86]

probably fine at a parkland course at a links with pot bunkers leaving it half in is a killer, the reason we have ours in the middle of the bunker

That's fair enough, horses for courses. Pot bunkers are usually much smaller to removes the issue I had with rake placement in the bunker

 

[r0wly86]

This looks like the best idea to me. The bunker is a hazard, so why not leave them so with only the green staff racking them.

This is usually brought up, but the scenario would be this. Club championship, greenkeepers working hard to get the course absolutely spot on, rake the bunkers. Those first out then get the benefit of nice lies in the bunker and easier shots, those going out at the end will get bunkers that have had loads of people walking through and taking shots, so will be at a distinct disadvatnage

 

[FuzzyDuck]

My club has a notice saying racks should be left in the bunker.

 

[Khamelion]

Hey, we have to suffer an Aimpoint thread every few months, why not a bunker rake one?

I believe the greenkeepers association or whatever they are called, recommend that rakes are kept in the bunker. If it is good enough for them.............

I find that if I use my Aimpoint experience and determine the slope around the bunker you can align the rake on the grass adjacent to the bunker to give minimum impact and exposure to any shots that do not land on the fairway.