At a recent men’s elite competition I was amazed to come across a golfer who routinely grounded his club behind the ball and then swept the sand away on his backswing. While the 2019 rule did make a few changes about is allowable in a bunker this didn’t change.
Rule 12 is all about bunkers. 12.2b describes the “Restrictions on Touching Sand in Bunker” and includes the following:
“(1) Before making a stroke at a ball in a bunker, a player must not:
- Deliberately touch sand in the bunker with a hand, club, rake or other object to test the condition of the sand to learn information for the next stroke, or
- Touch sand in the bunker with a club:
- In the area right in front of or right behind the ball (except as allowed under Rule 7.1a in fairly searching for a ball or under Rule 12.2a in removing a loose impediment or movable obstruction),
- In making a practice swing, or
- In making the backswing for a stroke.”
This rule also describes some actions that are allowed, as follows:
This rule also describes some actions that are allowed, as follows:
Just one quick word of warning though – if you choose to smooth the bunker to care for the course make sure that you aren’t inadvertently improving your stance or area of intended swing, anything on your line of play. If you do so you will get the general penalty under Rule 8.1a. Also, if you improve the area where the ball may end up if you fail to escape the bunker you could also get the general penalty under Rule 8.2b which prohibits you from altering any physical conditions where your ball might go or come to rest after your next stroke or a later stroke.
Golf Rules Guru 