Smoothing the bunker to care for the course

[Axel]

I found my ball in a greenside bunker and it was fully covered in fox footprints. Not only was my ball in one of the footprints but the whole bunker was covered in footprints. Before playing my ball, I smoothed the area that was not affecting my stance, swing or lie of the ball, nor did I smooth the area in front or behind the line of play. Was I in breach of Rule 12.2?

 

[Colin L]

No.

 

[jim8flog]

I found my ball in a greenside bunker and it was fully covered in fox footprints. Not only was my ball in one of the footprints but the whole bunker was covered in footprints. Before playing my ball, I smoothed the area that was not affecting my stance, swing or lie of the ball, nor did I smooth the area in front or behind the line of play. Was I in breach of Rule 12.2?

Worth watching out that you are not improving an area that your ball might end up in should you fail to get out of the bunker. You are going to have to rake the bunker after you play your shot so better to wait until after you have played it to be sure you do not get a penalty.

 

[Colin L]

The player is not allowed to improve the conditions on his line of play which is the line where he intends his ball to go after his stroke. Does he really intend that his ball follows a line that leaves his ball in the bunker?

 

[backwoodsman]

The player is not allowed to improve the conditions on his line of play which is the line where he intends his ball to go after his stroke. Does he really intend that his ball follows a line that leaves his ball in the bunker?

A question: How does that fit in with the first bullet point of 12.2b (1) ? Couldn't the player be thought to be 'testing' to 'learn'. ?

 

[bobmac]

To save yourself any hassle, don't touch the sand at all until after you've played your shot.

 

[PaulMdj]

Worth watching out that you are not improving an area that your ball might end up in should you fail to get out of the bunker. You are going to have to rake the bunker after you play your shot so better to wait until after you have played it to be sure you do not get a penalty.

This is just daft! Who on earth would plan to leave a ball in the bunker, and anyone accussing another playing partner of purposely doing that should be told to stick their head were the sun don’t shine!

See post #2 for the answer.

 

[hambugerpete]

To save yourself any hassle, don't touch the sand at all until after you've played your shot.

That's just silly, I often have to go in one end of the bunker to get the rake when my ball is at the other. I'll rake my foot prints before heading to my ball.

 

[hambugerpete]

The player is not allowed to improve the conditions on his line of play which is the line where he intends his ball to go after his stroke. Does he really intend that his ball follows a line that leaves his ball in the bunker?

Fairs, but wasn't someone penalty for raking a bunker he wasn't even in after walking through it?, but it was on his line ?

Although reading again I think your reply is a slightly different situation.

 

[Neilds]

That's just silly, I often have to go in one end of the bunker to get the rake when my ball is at the other. I'll rake my foot prints before heading to my ball.

But Bob is right, just like in the Provisional ball thread. By not raking it, you remove any doubts, controversies, etc from other players who can misinterpret your actions. As other posts in this thread have alluded to, line of play, testing conditions - no rake, no doubt

 

[hambugerpete]

But Bob is right, just like in the Provisional ball thread. By not raking it, you remove any doubts, controversies, etc from other players who can misinterpret your actions. As other posts in this thread have alluded to, line of play, testing conditions - no rake, no doubt

No he's isn't right at all. Why on earth would I waste time waiting about to do something the rules permit me to do right away. By all means if thats how you wish to play then that's fine, but wholly unnecessary. I haven't read the provisional ball thread , but I guess it along the lines of using the actual word provisional Vs a statement of intent that clearly says it's a provisional ball.

 

[Imurg]

You're both right...
You can rake away from your ball but if you don't touch the sand until after your shot there's no way for anyone to question it....
It's not always one way or the other...

 

[hambugerpete]

You're both right...
You can rake away from your ball but if you don't touch the sand until after your shot there's no way for anyone to question it....
It's not always one way or the other...

Not really, he's fine to play that way, but to suggests its better to do his way is just misinformation and how rules myths are spread.

 

[Neilds]

Not really, he's fine to play that way, but to suggests its better to do his way is just misinformation and how rules myths are spread.

Where did he say his way was better? He said it would save hassle, which it would

 

[cliveb]

The player is not allowed to improve the conditions on his line of play which is the line where he intends his ball to go after his stroke. Does he really intend that his ball follows a line that leaves his ball in the bunker?

Supplementary question:
If I'm about to chip over a bunker, am I allowed to rake it first in case the ball ends up in it? I had always assumed that wasn't allowed, but your post implies otherwise.

 

[hambugerpete]

Where did he say his way was better? He said it would save hassle, which it would

But it doesn't does it. It's something I do often as we have large bunkers and some only have one rake. No one has ever questioned me about it and nor would I expect them too, if they did , I'd explain its fine and we'd all be be happy and better educated on what's allowed when in a bunker.

 

[Swango1980]

For those claiming that no one intends to leave their ball in the bunker, which is some sort of get out clause to rake the bunker, is surely simply a red herring? Otherwise, the rules would allow you to rake the bunker away from your stance anywhere before your shot. On rare occasions, for a tricky bunker shot, the player may well intend to leave their ball in the bunker, giving themselves as easier shot. But, there are also many occasions where a player (at our level) leaves it in the bunker unintentionally. I've a mate who regularly fails to get out, it would help him (marginally) if he could rake as much as the bunker as possible before his shot, because his next could end up anywhere within it.

So, surely the answer is simply the player was OK to do this, as it is permitted in Rule 12.2b(2) "Smoothing the bunker to care for the course"

Note, it has been suggested that the player couldn't do this in their line of play in the bunker. I'm sure this is correct, but can't find the definitive rule on this. Rule 12.2b(2) simply seems to suggest is is OK if you are caring for the course, but doesn't seem to disallow you from doing this in your line of play. Am I simply missing this, or it is recommended not to do this because it could be argued you are improving the area your ball may end up?

 

[Swango1980]

But it doesn't does it. It's something I do often as we have large bunkers and some only have one rake. No one has ever questioned me about it and nor would I expect them too, if they did , I'd explain its fine and we'd all be be happy and better educated on what's allowed when in a bunker.

One chap once tried to give me a penalty for picking the rake out of the bunker before I played my shot. I didn't rake or anything, but he said that I was in contact with the rake, while the rake was in contact with the sand, and thus I was technically testing the conditions of the sand. It was when I was fairly new to golf, but even then I laughed off his claim

 

[PaulMdj]

The OP has asked a question and been answered, all this whataboutery just confuses it.

 

[Swango1980]

The OP has asked a question and been answered, all this whataboutery just confuses it.

Yeah. After Post #2 we should have all kept our traps shut. If only forums worked that way...