Should bunkers be raked in tournaments?

[Slime]

Bunkers are supposed to be hazards but they are so beautifully presented in professional golf that they are no longer hazards and are often aimed at due to the simplicity of the bunker shot, as opposed to playing from the greenside rough.
On this basis, should they be raked?
I would say not as raking them renders them non hazardous.
Thoughts please.

 

[Imurg]

I'm inclined to agree
If the only maintenance is trimming the edges and refilling the sand every now and again they will be hazards.

 

[brendy]

Not raking will leave it open to abuse, what's to stop players digging holes with their feet to make it impossible for others who got into the bunker?

 

[Hobbit]

Not raking will leave it open to abuse, what's to stop players digging holes with their feet to make it impossible for others who got into the bunker?

Exactly this.

 

[guest100718]

i like the nice pristine look, i dont want it spoiled by some manky looking bunker

 

[patricks148]

TBH professional golf bares little resemblance to the conditions faced by most Amateurs most weekends.

free drops, wide open courses in warm conditions, with little or no wind.. not forgetting the practice of advertising the distance of certain holes only for them in fact to be play 50 yards in front of what the tee box sign says.

so not bothered by it really

 

[User2021]

Not raking will leave it open to abuse, what's to stop players digging holes with their feet to make it impossible for others who got into the bunker?

Totally agree - open to abuse

 

[Imurg]

Not raking will leave it open to abuse, what's to stop players digging holes with their feet to make it impossible for others who got into the bunker?

I can see this in the monthly medal but in a professional tournament..?
Really?

 

[fundy]

just make the rule that you smooth it over with your feet after playing, so its still a hazard but without any vast holes

 

[duncan mackie]

Easy to confuse the term hazard with difficulty.

If (and there are options!) It's a designated hazard there are rules that apply - if it isn't a designated hazard then they are of course different.

It's interesting that you raise this in the specific context of tournaments - generally they aren't going to find loose impediments behind their ball either!

So maybe the question is more around, why designate as hazards at all and just have everything as TTG? Generally the artificial nature of soft sand in bunkers is the reason - if it's hard sand, or weathered surface, you aren't as likely to end up with impossible situations where the ball is unplayable through no fault of your own (pluggednis your fault).

Ironically the very act of raking is primarily what makes the area require raking (to avoid a complete lottery).

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

I am in favour of raking the bunker, they can always increase the face height/reduce the bunker size etc to make it more of a hazard

 

[Captainron]

I think they need to be raked or else it would not be fair on those who start later in the field. Also there will be more regularly visited bunkers where the sand would probably be non existent in places.

 

[pokerjoke]

Are you suggesting that if you go in a bunker it should end up costing you a shot?

If this is the case then maybe all fairway bunkers should be made that you can never hit the green from them thus costing a shot.

I suppose its down to the designers of bunkers to make them really really hard so an extra shot is likely but not always the case

 

[Hobbit]

I can see this in the monthly medal but in a professional tournament..?
Really?

Let's not name names but there's a few pro's out there that have either been pulled for something questionable or are spoken about within the pro circles as not being squeaky clean. I don't see pro's being any better behaved than amateurs.

 

[Dasit]

About 50% up and down from a greenside bunker last season


While hit the green and and 2 putts or better is 95% to 99%.



Seems like bunkers are a pretty good hazard if you miss the green.

 

[Slime]

Are you suggesting that if you go in a bunker it should end up costing you a shot?

If this is the case then maybe all fairway bunkers should be made that you can never hit the green from them thus costing a shot.

I suppose its down to the designers of bunkers to make them really really hard so an extra shot is likely but not always the case

No, not at all, but I think it should make it much more of a challenge to make par.
In many instances it's now easier to get up and down from the sand than it is from the rough just off the green ......................... and I think that's wrong.
Bunkers were originally put there to make life more difficult, not easier.

 

[Papas1982]

About 50% up and down from a greenside bunker last season


While hit the green and and 2 putts or better is 95% to 99%.



Seems like bunkers are a pretty good hazard if you miss the green.

The bunker hasn’t caused the extra shot though, the poor approach did. You hear them say they’d rather land in a bunker than some parts of greens.....

if if we had stats to compare for green side bunkers v rough around greens that would show a true representation of how much of a hazed they are.

 

[Dasit]

No, not at all, but I think it should make it much more of a challenge to make par.
In many instances it's now easier to get up and down from the sand than it is from the rough just off the green ......................... and I think that's wrong.
Bunkers were originally put there to make life more difficult, not easier.

Well struck bunker shots are a joy to watch


One of the big differences between a professional on tour and a weekend club golfer

 

[mikejohnchapman]

Well struck bunker shots are a joy to watch


One of the big differences between a professional on tour and a weekend club golfer

True but the tour play on courses that are prepared to specification and are consistent throughtout the round.

If you asked them to play on our courses week-in week-out then it wouldn't be so beautiful.

 

[ScienceBoy]

IMO bunkers should be raked by no one or everyone. Pros through to amateur and Sunday morning hacks.

Greenkeepers then just need to tidy them but not spend ages manicuring them.

Could be many upsides as we can do away with bunker rakes.

Downside is early people getting potentially easier bunkers than golfers later in the day.