Speed Of Play & Raking Bunkers.

[Voyager EMH]

I often find myself raking the bunker for someone else. Although they are always several holes ahead.... Take your shot then rake the sand , no need to come up with some complex rules about who's where !

I was out on my own yesterday and I raked 4 bunkers that I did not play a shot into or out of.
I was aware that there were several greenfee players out after me and I didn't want them to go away with a bad impression. Its my course as much as anyone else's.

 

[Voyager EMH]

If you want to speed up play just walk a bit quicker to your balls.

or take fewer shots, maybe?

 

[patricks148]

Quite often when we play team scores in our roll ups. On occasion in strokeplay comps, I'm a quick player and don't like standing around so if it means helping a fellow player out or standing around I go for the former.

 

[Backache]

In general I think the best way to move around a golf course is to get to your ball quickly and play it and tidy up after yourself.
This applies generally to bunkers as well.
Where I will sometimes rake a bunker for someone is in fairway bunkers if I have played a second shot already and they have had to wedge out relatively short and are clearly going to have to play their next shot before me.

 

[Jigger]

I think all of above suggest that it depends on the situation but I don’t see an issue in offering to rake a bunker for someone to keep things moving.

 

[Backache]

I think all of above suggest that it depends on the situation but I don’t see an issue in offering to rake a bunker for someone to keep things moving.

I don't think courtesy is ever really a bad thing on a golf course so I am loath to criticise such an action. However in general I don't think it speeds things up.
With a bunker shot a rake has to be collected a shot played, the sand raked and then proceed to the next shot.
Generally I and those I commonly play with collect the rake play the shot rake and move on.
Occasionally if the rake is at a distance assistance is offered to collect the rake.
If you are raking for someone else, they have to leave the bunker and you enter it thus increasing though usually very slightly the amount of raking to be done. but more importantly both people have to move to their next shot rather than one being ready to play, thus total time is increased.
There may be a few occasions where raking for someone else is a pleasant courtesy particularly if playing with an inexperienced golfer who isn't slick and may have to play several shots after leaving a bunker but in general I think pace of play is improved by raking ones own shots.

 

[Jigger]

I don't think courtesy is ever really a bad thing on a golf course so I am loath to criticise such an action. However in general I don't think it speeds things up.
With a bunker shot a rake has to be collected a shot played, the sand raked and then proceed to the next shot.
Generally I and those I commonly play with collect the rake play the shot rake and move on.
Occasionally if the rake is at a distance assistance is offered to collect the rake.
If you are raking for someone else, they have to leave the bunker and you enter it thus increasing though usually very slightly the amount of raking to be done. but more importantly both people have to move to their next shot rather than one being ready to play, thus total time is increased.
There may be a few occasions where raking for someone else is a pleasant courtesy particularly if playing with an inexperienced golfer who isn't slick and may have to play several shots after leaving a bunker but in general I think pace of play is improved by raking ones own shots.

I think that agrees with my comment whole heartedly ?

 

[Voyager EMH]

I don't think courtesy is ever really a bad thing on a golf course so I am loath to criticise such an action. However in general I don't think it speeds things up.
With a bunker shot a rake has to be collected a shot played, the sand raked and then proceed to the next shot.
Generally I and those I commonly play with collect the rake play the shot rake and move on.
Occasionally if the rake is at a distance assistance is offered to collect the rake.
If you are raking for someone else, they have to leave the bunker and you enter it thus increasing though usually very slightly the amount of raking to be done. but more importantly both people have to move to their next shot rather than one being ready to play, thus total time is increased.
There may be a few occasions where raking for someone else is a pleasant courtesy particularly if playing with an inexperienced golfer who isn't slick and may have to play several shots after leaving a bunker but in general I think pace of play is improved by raking ones own shots.

Excellent.
It might have been a better discussion, if everyone had kept to the scenario in post#1 and not introduce other scenarios.

Clearly most people rake the bunker themselves most of the time and this does not really need stating.

The assertion that I was over-thinking was, I think, ignoring that I had introduced one rare scenario.
It is a matter of choice and I am not even suggesting that the raking a bunker for someone else becomes a common occurrence or part of any generally accepted etiquette, yet it has been assumed by some that I was doing this.

Coming up with reasons why you would never rake a bunker for a fellow player in post#1 scenario is peculiar.
But as I said, matter of choice.

 

[doublebogey7]

Consider individual strokeplay format.

All balls on the green, but one player in a bunker with difficult lie. Player A is nearest the hole. Very likely that bunker player will still be furthest away after bunker shot and this is what happens.

Should player A offer to rake the bunker to speed up play?

Have you ever done it? Have you seen anyone else do it?

I've done this many times as player A, but I have never seen anybody else do it.

Wouldn't say it's a regular occurrence, but when it's so obviously going to.soeed up play I have certainly done it, and have had others do it for me. Also many a time moved another players trolley for the same reason

 

[sunshine]

In individual strokeplay format, I would find it very distracting, if a player were raking a bunker in my eyeline while I'm preparing to putt for a birdie in handicap qualifying comp and he stops 3 seconds before I hit the ball.

I have to say this surprised me. I’ve always thought of you as a sensible and pragmatic person, not one to get flustered by little things.

The last time I offered to rake a bunker for someone else, he thanked me then proceeded to walk through the whole bunker towards the green instead of retracing his steps. A lot of people lack awareness ?

 

[Voyager EMH]

I have to say this surprised me. I’ve always thought of you as a sensible and pragmatic person, not one to get flustered by little things.

The last time I offered to rake a bunker for someone else, he thanked me then proceeded to walk through the whole bunker towards the green instead of retracing his steps. A lot of people lack awareness ?

Can't really agree that I would be "flustered" by putting out of turn while a player is raking a bunker in my eyeline in an individual strokeplay format, but I would find it very distracting. Can't remember this ever actually happening in an individual strokeplay format, so I had to do my best at imagining how I would feel. Most likely that I would not putt out of turn, but be patient or assist the other player in some way eg offer to rake the bunker for him. Either way, doubt very much that I would be flustered.

 

[jim8flog]

We just play ready golf, if somebody is raking the bunker get on and putt out whilst they are doing it.

Mind you I pay with one guy who would wait for the players on the next hole to finish raking their greenside bunker before he plays.

He is a real do not stand there, please mark your ball even it is 10 ft off his line etc type of guy etc etc. It an absolute pain on many an occasion

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes. If things are pressing and we’d want the player just out of the bunker (Mr A) to get on with things, then yes, one of his playing companions might well offer to rake the bunker. Alternatively, and more commonly, the rest don’t wait until Mr A has raked and played next shot…they play ready golf.

 

[sunshine]

Mind you I pay with one guy who would wait for the players on the next hole to finish raking their greenside bunker before he plays.

He is a real do not stand there, please mark your ball even it is 10 ft off his line etc type of guy etc etc. It an absolute pain on many an occasion

If I play with someone who asks me to mark my ball when it’s nowhere near their line, I choose to putt it instead. Usually winds them up and they don’t do it again ?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If I play with someone who asks me to mark my ball when it’s nowhere near their line, I choose to putt it instead. Usually winds them up and they don’t do it again ?

You do understand field of vision I assume…and it’s not a line ?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Why not just play ready golf. The 3 on the green can putt whilst the other is raking the bunker.

This every time. I don't think I've ever seen someone else rake another's bunker. Get on with it. Honour and taking turns based on distance away alone is from the past.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

This every time. I don't think I've ever seen someone else rake another's bunker. Get on with it. Honour and taking turns based on distance away alone is from the past.

Quite often when two players have played out of same bunker or adjacent bunkers. The first player will be standing with a rake ready to tidy bunker after 2nd player has played…either from adjacent bunker or if 2nd player hasnt required the 1st player to tidy things.

 

[Bamberdele2.0]

Played today with PP who is possibly the slowest player I know. Both in different bunkers on same hole which each bunker the same distance from the green. I always find the rake first and place it by me so it speeds up play and I have minimal sand to rake after as the area I’m stepping in is minimal.

I’ve played my shot and raked the bunker pretty quickly, probably 6/7 footprints + divot.

PP has played his shot. Walked all the way over to the other side of the bunker to pick up the rake then walked back to rake his divot. Then raked all the way over to the other side of the bunker where he left his footprints from collecting the rake.

I’d say he took probably 2 minutes longer than myself to play the same shot.

This is the kind of thing that can really get on my tits.

Not really related to OP but when talking about bunkers and speed of play I just had to get that off my chest. Rant over.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Quite often when two players have played out of same bunker or adjacent bunkers. The first player will be standing with a rake ready to tidy bunker after 2nd player has played…either from adjacent bunker or if 2nd player hasnt required the 1st player to tidy things.

That's a different scenario to the one posed in the OP. I'd have no issue doing that, and have done it previously. The OP is talking about a golfer on their own in a bunker with the rest of their group ready to putt on the green.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Honour and taking turns based on distance away alone is from the past.

It might be in social golf but not in competitive stuff, especially higher level competitions.