Our course plays "foot rake" and replace your ball. I'm good with that. A player shouldn't be further penalized because an inconsiderate, lazy slob before them refused to rake the bunker like they're supposed to.
 
Strangely, we have ball washers back here, but still no rakes and that is crazy.
 
"Play the ball as it lies" "I had to hit it off Frankenstein's fat foot. Those are the rules, I didn't write them."
 
Putting the rakes back in is Neanderthal thinking. Might as well just ask the local coroner to leave an ice truck at the local course for these super spreaders. Come on, man.
 
Our course plays "foot rake" and replace your ball. I'm good with that. A player shouldn't be further penalized because an inconsiderate, lazy slob before them refused to rake the bunker like they're supposed to.
 
I haven’t played a course with a rake since the start of covid, so it wouldn’t bother me.
 
Sunday at the usual course, no bunker rakes, buddy hits into a greenside bunker and the ball ends up in a footprint. He lifts the ball out if the footprint and puts it in a smooth part of the hazard. I asked him if he was taking an unplayable lie, he said no he just didn't think he should have to play out of a footprint.

I smirked.
 
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Sunday at the usual course, no bunker rakes, buddy hits into a greenside bunker and the ball ends up in a footprint. He lifts the ball out if the footprint and puts it in a smooth part of the hazard. I asked him if he was taking an unplayable lie, he said no he just didn't think he should have to play out of a footprint.

I smirked.
9 on Friday,18 on Sunday. Both courses with bunkers and rakes. Both times I ended up in bunkers that had been raked but poorly. Played my ball out, then raked all the footprints that were left in there. I got lucky I didn't hit any footprints, but I would have played out of them. I should avoid the bunkers.
 
9 on Friday,18 on Sunday. Both courses with bunkers and rakes. Both times I ended up in bunkers that had been raked but poorly. Played my ball out, then raked all the footprints that were left in there. I got lucky I didn't hit any footprints, but I would have played out of them. I should avoid the bunkers.
Exactly. They're hazards, don't go in there.
 
What would you think if you went to a $60 per round course, where the bunkers were dragged everyday by the grounds crew but there were no rakes for golfers to use after bunker shots?
Is it a Covid thing? In the UK there’s been no rakes and a local preferred lies in bunkers rule in place.
 
Exactly. They're hazards, don't go in there.
Agreed. I will, however, say that I was disappointed that the membership at both clubs, one of them mine, was doing such a poor job of cleaning up after playing from the sand.
 
Agreed. I will, however, say that I was disappointed that the membership at both clubs, one of them mine, was doing such a poor job of cleaning up after playing from the sand.
Too many people don't know how to rack bunkers anyway. They just use the vacuum method, forward and back.

Is it a Covid thing? In the UK there’s been no rakes and a local preferred lies in bunkers rule in place.
Nope. Not covid related. Intentional. No preferred lies in the bunker. Play it as it sits, it's a hazard for a reason. Don't go in there.
 
Too many people don't know how to rack bunkers anyway. They just use the vacuum method, forward and back.
There was a lot of raking where the shot was taken, but footprints left on the way in and out. :unsure:
 
We've had our bunker rakes back for a month or two now, which is nice.

But apparently most of the golfers at my club are still scared to touch them, based on the number of footprints already in bunkers by 1pm on a Saturday afternoon:p

I was so happy initially I was gladly raking out all the footprints others had left in the bunkers. But my last couple rounds I've gotten lazy so I'll rake my own and two other sets then leave the rest. It's exhausting raking four or fives sets of tracks out of a bunker, working in the hot sun.

Kind of like with sanding fairway divots. I take two bottles on sand and replace them at the turn. One bottle is for my divots. The other bottle I use for other people's divots but once that bottle is empty (usually takes about three holes) I figure I've done my good deed for that nine. I'd have to carry 4-5 bottles with me to do all the ones I walk past. My poor Speed Cart would probably collapse under the weight!
 
What would you think if you went to a $60 per round course, where the bunkers were dragged everyday by the grounds crew but there were no rakes for golfers to use after bunker shots?
I'd think they were following Covid safety protocols and that was probably that info on their website. We haven't had rakes in bunkers here since the courses reopened abour=t a year ago.
 
I'd think they were following Covisd aftety proti=ocols and that was probably that info on their website.
They're not. It's a choice to make the bunkers actual hazards.
 
Mostly all rakes here now, but I have to admit I like seeing no rake and having the option of a free fluff.

And yes, there is a built-in excuse for not raking now and golfers are using it, which is really lame.
 
Mostly all rakes here now, but I have to admit I like seeing no rake and having the option of a free fluff.

And yes, there is a built-in excuse for not raking now and golfers are using it, which is really lame.
Would your opinion change if you didn't have the option for a free fluff? I'd you had to play it as it lies?
 
I'd high-five the superintendent for getting rid of them. Use your foot to smooth the sand after you hit, and keep going.
 
Too many people don't know how to rack bunkers anyway. They just use the vacuum method, forward and back.


Nope. Not covid related. Intentional. No preferred lies in the bunker. Play it as it sits, it's a hazard for a reason. Don't go in there.
Not for me that, I want it raked. If they want it to be a ‘proper hazard’ they should perhaps consider not classing it as a bunker and you can ground your club etc. Like at Kiawah. “Waste area.” If it’s a bunker and a player can’t ground their club it should be raked imo. The rules of golf don’t say anything about having to play in perfect conditions or golf being ‘fair’. But where do we draw the line? Uneven tee boxes, long grass on fairways...?
 
Not for me that, I want it raked. If they want it to be a ‘proper hazard’ they should perhaps consider not classing it as a bunker and you can ground your club etc. Like at Kiawah. “Waste area.” If it’s a bunker and a player can’t ground their club it should be raked imo. The rules of golf don’t say anything about having to play in perfect conditions or golf being ‘fair’. But where do we draw the line? Uneven tee boxes, long grass on fairways...?
And definitely don't mow the greens lower than 1/2" or so. Nobody said putting was supposed to be easy!

I personally would 100% support the Rules of Golf changing to eliminate all treatment of bunkers as anything but "through the green". Nothing different about drops, unplayable lies, grounding the club, nobody would feel obligated to maintain them (or in the case of at least one UK club an obligation to NOT maintain them).

It's funny, when I see a tournament played at Kiawah or Pinehurst #2 it kind of reminds me of the un-irrigated course (except for tees and greens) where I learned to play golf. It was built on a big sand ridge and unless it was a severe rainy spell huge areas of the course were sandy hardpan with the occasional clump of weeds sticking out. Pay fifteen bucks and play all day. Now you see that same thing formalized at courses that charge $400 green fees!
 
On most public courses, nothing much would change. Seems like most players don’t use them anyway or don’t know how based on what I see in an afternoon or evening round.
 
We haven’t had rakes since March of 2020. No biggie to me. It’s a hazard. Play with what the course gives me.
 
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