Rules Question re: Bunker

Corkey123

In a bunker my ball was in a previously players bunker shot that was poorly raked. The sand was raked into a pile behind where my ball lay (which was in a sand divot). Despite my best efforts I made contact with sand on my back swing. I assuming a penalty stroke - am I correct?

Cheers
Apologies if this has been covered previously

First Up

MartinCorcoran wrote: »

In a bunker my ball was in a previously players bunker shot that was poorly raked. The sand was raked into a pile behind where my ball lay (which was in a sand divot). Despite my best efforts I made contact with sand on my back swing. I assuming a penalty stroke - am I correct?

Cheers
Apologies if this has been covered previously

Yes, a penalty stroke. It is worth practicing your technique for that situation as bunkers are often left in a mess.

Golfgraffix

MartinCorcoran wrote: »

I assuming a penalty stroke - am I correct?

2 stroke penalty I think, or loss of hole in matchplay.

J

Rikand

Penalty, followed by a witch hunt in the bar to find the dick head who left the bunker like that

kenkin

Didn't think it was a penalty if sand is touched during the backswing.

Poker Face

13-4/31 Touching Sand in Bunker During Backswing

Q. A player playing a shot in a bunker accidentally touched the sand when making his backswing. What is the ruling?

A. The player was in breach of Rule 13-4b when he touched the ground in the bunker with his club before making the stroke — see Definition of "Stroke.

Golfgraffix

kenkin wrote: »

Didn't think it was a penalty if sand is touched during the backswing.

Not sure of the exact wording but the rule is there to stop you testing the condition of the sand. Obviously in your swing you have to hit the sand and that is allowed.

The confusing part is the definition of a swing. Again I am not sure of the exact wording but a swing is only the forward motion of the club. So if you hit the sand in the back stroke it is technically grounding your club.

Rather than a two stroke penalty if touching was unavoidable you could take an unplayable drop for one stroke and find a better spot in the bunker. Or if course you could take an unplayable drop and go back to the position of the shot that got you into the bunker in the first place, under penslty of one stroke.

J

Boskowski

Sounds a bit unfair. In that particular situation touching the sand on the back swing is hardly testing the condition. But I can see how it could be abused. Players could intentionally improve their lie on the backswing.

Its one my of pet hates. Lazy ignorant c***s not raking bunkers or repairing pitch marks and the like . I can't understand how people show no respect for the awesome facility a good golf course is. Usually the same gob****es who complain when the course is not in the condition they expect it to be.

First Up

Boskowski wrote: »

Sounds a bit unfair. In that particular situation touching the sand on the back swing is hardly testing the condition. But I can see how it could be abused. Players could intentionally improve their lie on the backswing.

Its one my of pet hates. Lazy ignorant c***s not raking bunkers or repairing pitch marks and the like . I can't understand how people show no respect for the awesome facility a good golf course is. Usually the same gob****es who complain when the course is not in the condition they expect it to be.

It has got worse and in part its a consequence of the increased number of people who adopt a "pay and play" approach - i.e playing opens or society golf rather than joining and supporting a club.

Visitors are just less motivated to tidy up behind them and societies and outings are more likely to include some who are less aware of how it is supposed to be done.

Not a lot you can do about it. A lot of clubs depend on such business so it just falls to the members to repair and rake where they see it is needed.