Grounding a club

[MackJL06]

Long story short, my competitor wanted to call a stroke penalty on me for "grounding my club in a bunker". I hit my tee shot into the bunker, near the shallow lip. While standing in the bunker, I grounded my club in the grass above the bunker to adjust the loft and I took a couple practice swings, hitting only the grass. He was convinced that I was not allowed to ground my club, even while STANDING in the bunker. I refused to take a penalty stroke and continued to play out the hole.

I could not reassure him of this and he left the course angry, even though I beat him by 11 shots. Am I wrong? The only time my club touched the sand was during the shot.

[Motley01]

Sure you can ground you club while standing in the bunker, with the grass around the bunker. The grass is not considered in or part of the bunker.

You were correct in your thinking.

[Wansteadimp]

Similar point to this, a friend was playing in a match, he hit is ball in a lateral hazard but not in the water, the ball was playable.

His opponent was also in the hazard, but the ball wasn't obvious. Friend takes several clubs to his ball as he couldn't tell what lie he had from where he had to leave his trolley.

Puts his clubs down in the hazard near his ball and goes to help the opponent look for the ball, opponent says you've grounded your clubs that loss of hole (matchplay), my friend accepts this, they move on with my friend accepting that it was a penalty but feeling this was a bit much in a friendly match when he was helping to look for the other guys ball.

My immediate thought was that there is no penalty as you can put a bag down in a hazard. Thinking about it later I'm no longer as confident, i think the 2 potential issues are improving your lie (what Brian Davis called on himself) or testing the surface.

I dont think improving the lie is an issue as the clubs weren't that close to the ball.

However, he may be testing the surface, but I still think on balance there would be no penalty, as the testing the surface bit is holding the club at address?

Can anyone shed some light on this?

[Rulesman]

Originally Posted by MackJL06

While standing in the bunker, I grounded my club in the grass above the bunker to adjust the loft and I took a couple practice swings, hitting only the grass.

It is not clear from you post if the grass was outside the bunker or just odd stalks in the bunker. Grass-covered ground within a bunker is not part of the bunker.

However if you ball is in the bunker then the only restriction on touching the ground in the bunker. You may touch the grass/ground outside the bunker.

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 .

[Rulesman]

Originally Posted by Wansteadimp

Similar point to this, a friend was playing in a match, he hit is ball in a lateral hazard but not in the water, the ball was playable.

His opponent was also in the hazard, but the ball wasn't obvious. Friend takes several clubs to his ball as he couldn't tell what lie he had from where he had to leave his trolley.

Puts his clubs down in the hazard near his ball and goes to help the opponent look for the ball, opponent says you've grounded your clubs that loss of hole (matchplay), my friend accepts this, they move on with my friend accepting that it was a penalty but feeling this was a bit much in a friendly match when he was helping to look for the other guys ball.

My immediate thought was that there is no penalty as you can put a bag down in a hazard. Thinking about it later I'm no longer as confident, i think the 2 potential issues are improving your lie (what Brian Davis called on himself) or testing the surface.

I dont think improving the lie is an issue as the clubs weren't that close to the ball.

However, he may be testing the surface, but I still think on balance there would be no penalty, as the testing the surface bit is holding the club at address?

Can anyone shed some light on this?

13-4/0.5

Meaning of "Test the Condition of the Hazard" in Rule 13-4a

Q. What is meant by "test the condition of the hazard" in Rule 13-4a ?

A. The term covers all actions by which the player could gain more information about the hazard than could be gained from taking his stance for the stroke to be made, bearing in mind that a certain amount of digging in with the feet in the sand or soil is permitted when taking the stance for a stroke.

Examples of actions that would not constitute testing the condition of the hazard include the following:

· placing an object, such as clubs or a rake, in the hazard;

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Wansteadimp

Similar point to this, a friend was playing in a match, he hit is ball in a lateral hazard but not in the water, the ball was playable.

His opponent was also in the hazard, but the ball wasn't obvious. Friend takes several clubs to his ball as he couldn't tell what lie he had from where he had to leave his trolley.

Puts his clubs down in the hazard near his ball and goes to help the opponent look for the ball, opponent says you've grounded your clubs that loss of hole (matchplay), my friend accepts this, they move on with my friend accepting that it was a penalty but feeling this was a bit much in a friendly match when he was helping to look for the other guys ball.

My immediate thought was that there is no penalty as you can put a bag down in a hazard. Thinking about it later I'm no longer as confident, i think the 2 potential issues are improving your lie (what Brian Davis called on himself) or testing the surface.

I dont think improving the lie is an issue as the clubs weren't that close to the ball.

However, he may be testing the surface, but I still think on balance there would be no penalty, as the testing the surface bit is holding the club at address?

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Certainly you can lay down extra clubs in the bunker or in a water hazard as long as nothing is done which can be construed as testing the condition of the hazard.  What Rulesman quoted, but with emphasis:

Examples of actions that would not constitute testing the condition of the hazard include the following:

· digging in with the feet for a stance, including for a practice swing, anywhere in the hazard or in a similar hazard;

· placing an object, such as clubs or a rake, in the hazard;

[Wansteadimp]

Rulesman & Fourputt, thanks for clearing this up.