Bunker question

[aschroeger]

Last night on the Golf Channel, I saw a highlight from some tourny over the weekend.  I had the TV muted, was caring for our foster dog who just came home from back surgery and didn't catch 100% of what was going on on TV.

Apparently, there was a golfer in a green side bunker.  After his shot, the ball came back to rest in the bunker.  As this happened, a caddie (I assume his) was raking the bunker about 10 feet behind the golfer.

Judging by the body language of the caddie, it looked like that was a no-no and I'm guessing they got a stroke penalty for it or worse.

Can anyone elaborate on this ruling for me?

I'm just curious.  The caddie looked very embarrassed.

[deasy55]

13-4. Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions

Except as provided in the Rules , before making a stroke at a ball that is in a hazard (whether a bunker or a water hazard ) or that, having been lifted from a hazard , may be dropped or placed in the hazard, the player must not:

a. Test the condition of the hazard or any similar hazard ;

b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club; or

c. Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard .

Exceptions:

1. Provided nothing is done that constitutes testing the condition of the hazard or improves the lie of the ball, there is no penalty if the player (a) touches the ground or loose impediments in any hazard or water in a water hazard as a result of or to prevent falling, in removing an obstruction , in measuring or in marking the position of, retrieving, lifting, placing or replacing a ball under any Rule or
(b) places his clubs in a hazard .

2. After making the stroke, if the ball is still in the hazard or has been lifted from the hazard and may be dropped or placed in the hazard , the player may smooth sand or soil in the hazard , provided nothing is done to breach Rule 13-2 with respect to his next stroke . If the ball is outside the hazard after the stroke , the player may smooth sand or soil in the hazard without restriction.

3. If the player makes a stroke from a hazard and the ball comes to rest in another hazard , Rule 13-4a does not apply to any subsequent actions taken in the hazard from which the stroke was made.

Note: At any time, including at address or in the backward movement for the stroke , the player may touch, with a club or otherwise, any obstruction, any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course or any grass, bush, tree or other growing thing.

Penalty For Breach of Rule:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.

To prevent any discussions/confusion with playing partners: Don't touch the sand

[Fourputt]

13-4/36 Smoothing Irregularities in Bunker After Stroke But Before Ball Extricated

Q. A makes a stroke in a bunker but fails to extricate his ball from the bunker. He smoothes irregularities in the area where the stroke was made. The smoothing does not breach Rule 13-2 with respect to his next stroke. However, B, his opponent, claims that the smoothing assisted A in his subsequent play of the hole because it constituted testing the consistency of the sand. Is B right?

A. No. In such circumstances Exception 2 to Rule 13-4 permits smoothing, provided nothing is done to breach Rule 13-2 with respect to the player's next stroke.

As long as the area smoothed was not on his line of play for his next shot, then no rule was breached.  It is reasoned that since he already played a stroke from that bunker, he already knows the condition of it and raking no longer constitutes testing the condition.

[aschroeger]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

As long as the area smoothed was not on his line of play for his next shot, then no rule was breached.  It is reasoned that since he already played a stroke from that bunker, he already knows the condition of it and raking no longer constitutes testing the condition.

Yeah, the caddie was racking nowhere near the golfer nor his line to the green, so I was confused.

I wish I had a DVR to rewind and see it again.  Nothing on the web about it either...

[Alistair]

Patrick Cantlay was playing Kelly Kraft in the final of the US Amateur at Erin Hills, Wisconsin on Sunday.  What I saw on TV was this.  His ball stayed in the trap after his first shot.  He glanced over his shoulder and saw his caddie raking the other end of the bunker.  He believed that was a penalty, and conceded the hole.  Only then did he discover (as explained in earlier posts) that there was no penalty, but a concession cannot be retracted so the hole was lost by Cantlay.  The championship was finally lost by Cantlay at the 36th hole. He made 2 or 3  errors that which proved fatal for his chances.

In addition to the points made earlier about the bunker rule, permission to rake after a shot but away from the line of play exists for extremely long bunkers (such as alongside a water hazard where I've seen bunkers100+ yards in length).  Who wants to knock his ball forward 30 yards, then another 20, then another 20 before finally hitting it out of the sand, and then has to go back and smooth over every place from which he played?

Incidentally, there are other situations when the sand can be touched prior to a shot being taken in a bunker.  For example, you can take several clubs into a bunker with you, and lay down all those you don't want to use.  You could take your whole bag into the bunker and lay it down (not recommended!).  No rule would be breached.

[deasy55]

Really? I wasn't aware of this at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alistair

Incidentally, there are other situations when the sand can be touched prior to a shot being taken in a bunker.  For example, you can take several clubs into a bunker with you, and lay down all those you don't want to use.  You could take your whole bag into the bunker and lay it down (not recommended!).  No rule would be breached.

[sean_miller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alistair

Patrick Cantlay was playing Kelly Kraft in the final of the US Amateur at Erin Hills, Wisconsin on Sunday.  What I saw on TV was this.  His ball stayed in the trap after his first shot.  He glanced over his shoulder and saw his caddie raking the other end of the bunker.  He believed that was a penalty, and conceded the hole.  Only then did he discover (as explained in earlier posts) that there was no penalty, but a concession cannot be retracted so the hole was lost by Cantlay.  The championship was finally lost by Cantlay at the 36th hole. He made 2 or 3  errors that which proved fatal for his chances.

In addition to the points made earlier about the bunker rule, permission to rake after a shot but away from the line of play exists for extremely long bunkers (such as alongside a water hazard where I've seen bunkers100+ yards in length).  Who wants to knock his ball forward 30 yards, then another 20, then another 20 before finally hitting it out of the sand, and then has to go back and smooth over every place from which he played?

Incidentally, there are other situations when the sand can be touched prior to a shot being taken in a bunker.  For example, you can take several clubs into a bunker with you, and lay down all those you don't want to use.  You could take your whole bag into the bunker and lay it down (not recommended!).  No rule would be breached.

[djackson89]

Quote:

Really? I wasn't aware of this at all.

Bahaha, I see what you did there. Although you do know that what Shorty said in that thread was correct....

[deasy55]

I'm not sure what you are on about

Originally Posted by djackson89

Quote:

Bahaha, I see what you did there. Although you do know that what Shorty said in that thread was correct....

[Alistair]

Cantlay is the No.1 amateur in the world.  He may not know everything but he knows a lot.  He and his opponent, Kelly Kraft, will both play in the US Walker Cup team, both will play in next year's US Open, and traditionally both will be invited to play in the Masters next year.  Cantlay can't be too much of a poser.

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,2090744,00.html

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by deasy55

I'm not sure what you are on about

He quoted the wrong post - he was referring to my post where I paid homage to the diminutive one from down under.

[Jmdmbike]

I know what you mean, but these knowledge gaps seem to happen every once in a while when you'd think they would know the rule. Last example I can think of is when Judy Rankin, waiting on the tee during an LPGA event last year (I believe) put a weighted metal ring on het club and was swinging to try and stay limber. I believe that was a DQ, unfortunately for her. Happens to the best of them!

[B-Con]

Even if they didn't know a common ruling like that, you'd think there'd at least be enough doubt in their mind that they'd consult a rules official before taking an irreversible penalty.