We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Impediments in bunker

nogophers

nogophers

Member
Joined
May 18, 2014
Messages
180
Reaction score
13
Location
MN
Handicap
18.7 GHIN
I know it's illegal to remove an impediment from the bunker. Is there a penalty for removing one either after taking a shot or finishing the hole? If I see a large stone, my reaction is to remove it from the bunker in an effort to maintain the course. What say you?
 
nogophers said:
I know it's illegal to remove an impediment from the bunker. Is there a penalty for removing one either after taking a shot or finishing the hole? If I see a large stone, my reaction is to remove it from the bunker in an effort to maintain the course. What say you?
Click to expand...

I'm not positive on the situation you are asking about. My old home course had a local rule that said you could remove stones from bunkers before playing your shot.
 
Until someone starts buying me clubs I'm moving rocks before I hit.
 
I'm fine with anyone removing something that may damage their club at any time in a bunker. Ask Coers about Indy, it ain't fun.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Until someone starts buying me clubs I'm moving rocks before I hit.
Click to expand...


Yep.

Playing in a tournament is one thing. But, candidly, even in a match I'm asking my opponent about moving rocks from a bunker. No sense in damaging a club like that.
 
You know, I keep seeing this same white round thing in a bunker every time I pass one and it drives me nuts so I just pick it up and move it out :)
I just don't want the next person to step on one and twist an ankle or something. It's a sacrifice I make for the good of the group. I'm big that way :)
 
Had a caterpillar in one last weekend. Good thing he wasn't in the way of anything so I let him/her be.
 
Pros can move stones when playing in R&A run games, I'm doing the same.
 
tpluff said:
I'm fine with anyone removing something that may damage their club at any time in a bunker. Ask Coers about Indy, it ain't fun.
Click to expand...

I agree. We don't get our clubs for free.
 
Our courses have a local rule, loose impediments can be removed. I'm pretty sure the same applies to the links at St Andrews (I checked before playing the New Course)
 
We have not adopted any local rules...All play is governed by USGA rules.

Will continue to play my ball without removing impediments, but will also continue to remove loose stones within reach after my shot.

We have 84 bunkers at my home course, so avoiding bunkers is not likely.

Thanks for the replies. If anyone finds anything definitive, please chime in. Cheers!
 
I'm definitely removing stones, even if I get penalized. No way damaging my clubs is worth a stroke. Can't imagine someone wanting to penalize for that though.
 
I would not hesitate to move anything anywhere that might damage my club or myself. I would insist that anyone playing with me do the same. If in a tournament and it incurs a penalty so be it.
 
nogophers said:
I know it's illegal to remove an impediment from the bunker. Is there a penalty for removing one either after taking a shot or finishing the hole? If I see a large stone, my reaction is to remove it from the bunker in an effort to maintain the course. What say you?
Click to expand...
RULE 23-1. Relief
Except when both the loose impediment and the ball lie in or touch the same hazard, any loose impediment may be removed without penalty.
 
nogophers said:
I know it's illegal to remove an impediment from the bunker. Is there a penalty for removing one either after taking a shot or finishing the hole? If I see a large stone, my reaction is to remove it from the bunker in an effort to maintain the course. What say you?
Click to expand...

As long as your ball does not lie in the bunker, and you aren't assisting another player whose ball does like in the bunker, then go for it. If your ball lies through the green, or on the putting green, you can remove all the loose impediments you like, as long as you don't unduly delay play, or in the case of through the green, move your ball in the process.

nogophers said:
We have a winner! Once the ball has been struck, impediments can be removed without penalty. Thank you!
Click to expand...

As long as your ball actually leaves the hazard or bunker. If you fail to extricate your ball, then the prohibition still applies.
 
Unless I am playing tournament golf, I'm moving things that will 1- harm my club, or 2- harm my wrists.

I don't get paid to play nor do I want to ding my clubs. If someone I am playing a match against is so worried about the rules of the game they can't accept me moving a rock in my swing path, I'll end the match right there. It just doesn't mean that much to me.
 
This. It's a common rule with friends I play with. Same with tree roots. Anyone who has ever found one of those not knowing it's there knows how much that sucks. Let them know you're surrounded by roots and take relief from it. Not a club, just find a spot that's not got a root under it
 
Mward said:
This. It's a common rule with friends I play with. Same with tree roots. Anyone who has ever found one of those not knowing it's there knows how much that sucks. Let them know you're surrounded by roots and take relief from it. Not a club, just find a spot that's not got a root under it
Click to expand...

I remember our match in FL -- We didn't even discuss it until one of us (I believe it was me) landed near a tree that had some roots elevated at various points around it. No guarantees of roots being present near my ball, but you basically demanded I drop away to avoid a potentially shattered wrist haha! I'm not sure I ever commented about it that day, but that spoke volumes to me.
 
Mward said:
This. It's a common rule with friends I play with. Same with tree roots. Anyone who has ever found one of those not knowing it's there knows how much that sucks. Let them know you're surrounded by roots and take relief from it. Not a club, just find a spot that's not got a root under it
Click to expand...
Exactly. You can really hurt yourself and/or your clubs by hitting a root.

If Tour Edge paid me to play their clubs and "play it as it lies" then I'd do so. But I pay for my own clubs, and I'm moving rocks that are in the way of my club. If I wind up in a bunch of roots, I'll move to the closest root-free area and then play it. People that are too macho to do so? Not my problem ... I'm moving mine and if you don't like it, tough.
 
Canadan said:
Unless I am playing tournament golf, I'm moving things that will 1- harm my club, or 2- harm my wrists.

I don't get paid to play nor do I want to ding my clubs. If someone I am playing a match against is so worried about the rules of the game they can't accept me moving a rock in my swing path, I'll end the match right there. It just doesn't mean that much to me.
Click to expand...
If I'm playing in a tourney I'm declaring an unplayable lie and moving the ball. Damaging clubs or my body just isn't in the cards.
 
Canadan said:
I remember our match in FL -- We didn't even discuss it until one of us (I believe it was me) landed near a tree that had some roots elevated at various points around it. No guarantees of roots being present near my ball, but you basically demanded I drop away to avoid a potentially shattered wrist haha! I'm not sure I ever commented about it that day, but that spoke volumes to me.
Click to expand...

There are a lot of hidden roots under those trees that I've found and watched a buddy find. Even with tapping in front of the ball to check, we didn't see the one right under where the leading edge would be resting when soled. Wasn't enjoyable to watch.

Like others have said: don't get paid or free clubs, so I'm all for safety in a friendly round. In a competitive round though, unfortunately there are other rules you've gotta follow and that's fine. Deal and move on.
 
tequila4kapp said:
If I'm playing in a tourney I'm declaring an unplayable lie and moving the ball. Damaging clubs or my body just isn't in the cards.
Click to expand...
An unplayable should be declared in any round if you're keeping/entering that score for handicap purposes. I'm all about safety and having a good time. This can be done honestly or not.
 
nogophers said:
An unplayable should be declared in any round if you're keeping/entering that score for handicap purposes. I'm all about safety and having a good time. This can be done honestly or not.
Click to expand...

I don't really agree with this. In my Sunday casual group, we almost always play the first hole with a breakfast ball, by choice. We're not breaking some unspeakable rule by entering our scores in GHIN after taking a second drive on the first tee, just as someone who'd prefer to not break their wrist move the rock in the bunker isn't adding digits to the card for no good reason.

Dealing with a rock in a bunker isn't a reflection of skill, it's a reflection of crappy course conditions. Our individual handicaps are what we define them to be, and this is if anything, reverse sandbagging, and at worst case is benefit to anyone that person plays in a handicapped tournament or round.
 
Canadan said:
I don't really agree with this. In my Sunday casual group, we almost always play the first hole with a breakfast ball, by choice. We're not breaking some unspeakable rule by entering our scores in GHIN after taking a second drive on the first tee, just as someone who'd prefer to not break their wrist move the rock in the bunker isn't adding digits to the card for no good reason.

Dealing with a rock in a bunker isn't a reflection of skill, it's a reflection of crappy course conditions. Our individual handicaps are what we define them to be, and this is if anything, reverse sandbagging, and at worst case is benefit to anyone that person plays in a handicapped tournament or round.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more, we almost always do the same on the first especially if we didn't get to warm up before hand. Like you said, along with the bunkers I don't think it hasn't any effect on my hc or how I actually play
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top