Before the rules changed, it was my understanding that you couldn't touch the sand with anything before the shot. So I didn't. Right or wrong, it was a good habit.
If there are 2 of you in there, surely the second golfer to play has always been entitled to have the bunker the way it was when the ball came to rest?
Yes a to a friend who didn't know any different during a club comp.
Correct. Rule 8.1(d). If the conditions affecting the stroke are worsened by a person other than the player or by an animal after a player’s ball came to rest the player may restore the original conditions as nearly as possible. There are exceptions and some other parts to the Rule, but this is the general principle.
Thanks. So is it ok for the player still to play to do the raking before playing their shot?
In those days people still cheated. I'm at a loss what you think raking the bunker will gain that you won't find out simply by shuffling about.
The current rules are clear. The area in which you cannot touch the sand (other than in two specified situations) is explicitly identified in Rule 12.2b(2), the prohibitions on improving the conditions affecting the stroke are clearly stated in and the Rule 8.1a. There's no cheats' charter.
What you are allowed to do is to restore the conditions as they were before the stroke but you need to be aware of what these conditions were. We need to be cautious with this. If the balls had been lying on a smoothly prepared unblemished surface, you can rake freely but if there had been unevenness, hoofprint, paw prints, footprints or whatever previous to the balls' arrival you cannot just rake over them. You need to rake and then recreate the blemishes or carefully smooth out the other player's footprints alone. And, of course if your ball had been half buried in the sand and you had lifted it it, it has to go back half buried.
That is good life advice to follow, and would certainly avoid any doubt, but the Rules do not require it.
And of course everyone knows the rule book inside out.
Please don't put words in my mouth
I was of course talking about me in a bunker, nobody else
I knew that.
Life advice?
What is it that concerns you so much with this rule. I mean it won't stop the Patrick reeds of this world either way.
The rule introduces doubt.
No, that does not follow at all. What a leap of logic to take. Every instance will be different, but there will be many many instances where a person rakes a bunker before hitting their shot, and it will be blatantly obvious the intention is not to test the conditions of the sand to most people.
I have visions of a members golf club setting up cameras at strategic points on every hole, and if there is a rules dispute, getting VAR to review the incident and deciding what action to take.Thought we didn’t like referees on this forum - or is that just on the football thread ?
PS - love our rules experts, helps me pass on knowledge to my golf group
Assuming you have indeed remembered correctly, was this action a breach?
I believe there was a long debate about this incident. Bunker was on his line but not in it. I'll do a search and see what turns up
Fun fact. Back in 'the good old days' (1984, Rule 13-4 to be precise), the Rules permiited the player to place his** clubs in a hazard^, provided nothing is done which may constitute testing the soil or improving the lie of the ball.
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