grooming a bunker

[Conejo]

my opponents ball is in a bunker and his  caddie accidently drops his putter into the sand of the  bunker which is located close to the green, he drops it in front of my opponent ball in direction to the hole affecting the trajectory of the ball, my opponent  will putt the ball to the green since it is very close to the bunker with  a down hill lie and it´s a flat bunker , can his caddie fix or groom the sand in the bunker were the putt fell in front of the ball before taking the shot? is there a penalty ?

[David in FL]

my opponents ball is in a bunker and his  caddie accidently drops his putter into the sand of the  bunker which is located close to the green, he drops it in front of my opponent ball in direction to the hole affecting the trajectory of the ball, my opponent  will putt the ball to the green since it is very close to the bunker with  a down hill lie and it´s a flat bunker , can his caddie fix or groom the sand in the bunker were the putt fell in front of the ball before taking the shot? is there a penalty ?

Provided nothing is done which constitutes testing the condition of the hazard or improves the lie of the ball, there's no penalty for dropping the putter.  You can also place extra clubs or a rake in the bunker subject to the same restrictions.

However, he may not restore the area to it's original condition.  Decision 13-2/29 pertains......

If a player worsens the lie of his ball, the area of his intended stance or swing, his line of play or a reasonable extension of that line beyond the hole, or the area in which he is to drop or place a ball, he is not entitled to restore that area to its original condition. If he does so, he is in breach of Rule 13-2 and incurs a penalty of loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play......

Welcome to the forum.......stick around!

[colin007]

hey rabbit, welcome to the sandtrap.  im not sure i understand the scenario - you said its a flat bunker but he has a downhill lie?  and how will the sand affect the "trajectory" of the shot?

edit: above

[Conejo]

thanks for your response !!

I agree that rule 13-2 applies

enjoy you rounds !!

[Golfingdad]

hey rabbit, welcome to the sandtrap.  im not sure i understand the scenario - you said its a flat bunker but he has a downhill lie?  and how will the sand affect the "trajectory" of the shot?

edit: above

I think by "flat" he meant no lip, hence the reason the opponent wants to putt the ball from his downhill lie.  That's what I picture in my head at least.

When I first read it, I didn't realize that the caddy of the player who was in the bunker was the culprit.

@David in FL what if it happened as I first read it in my mind ... and your opponents caddy screwed up your line of putt coming out of the bunker.  You could fix that, right?

[colin007]

I didn't realize the player wanted to putt out of the bunker.

[David in FL]

@David in FL what if it happened as I first read it in my mind ... and your opponents caddy screwed up your line of putt coming out of the bunker.  You could fix that, right?

Yep.  Assuming it happened after your ball entered the bunker, you're entitled to have the bunker restored to it's original condition.

[Fourputt]

I didn't realize the player wanted to putt out of the bunker.

In answering the question, it doesn't matter how the player wants to play the stroke.  All that matters for this ruling is that the affected area of sand lies in the bunker on his line of play.