Bunkers are those vexing spaces of golf where players often find themselves questioning the rules. Rules of etiquette and play are easy to recall when on the green or fairway. Yet, in the void of the bunker, rules can be a bit muddled. This does not even mention the dread that comes from landing in a bunker. As a player, these are equivalent to black holes. They hold a great amount of power of a player’s game. From entering the bunker to playing through, let’s clarify a few of the basics of the bunker.

No Grounding Your Club

First, the ball is considered to be in the bunker if any part of it is touching or resting on and in the bunker. It does not matter how close to the edge or lip of the bunker it is, it is still in the bunker. Often times, there will be two bunkers, each angled sharply towards the green. Upon decent into the bunker, a players first instinct is to ground their club. It’s often a tick of many golfers. However, in a bunker this is a penalty move. A player is not allowed to touch the sand with their club at any point. This can seem a bit impossible. However, the act of grounding your club will shift the sand either towards or away from the ball. This can give a player advantage and claimed by other players as “testing the bunker”: a move that is strictly prohibited. This also means that any practice shots must be done outside of the bunker. If you take a practice swing inside of the bunker, it will be considered testing and a penalty.

It may also go without saying but to clarify, you cannot touch the sand with your hand or foot. The only movement you are allowed is to shuffle your feet to gain a greater amount of stability. With this strict rule, there are some exceptions to the various conditions that could be faced inside of a bunker.

Exceptions

One of the main exceptions is clearing the bunker of any debris. Similar to clearing the green, this will be only time you are allowed to touch the bunker. An example of this would be removing twigs, leave or other items from the sand that is not around your ball, but could possibly imped your swing.

A second exception once more involves the club. You are able to bring two clubs into the bunker and once you decide on the club to use, it can be placed on the sand. You can also use the club to steady your decedent into the bunker.

The final exception involves a bit of golf etiquette. While golf is considered a gentle sport, fits of anger at poor hits do occur. It is generally considered poor sportsmanship or poor etiquette to strike the ground in a fit of anger. However, if this does happen inside of a bunker and the ball is untouched, there is no penalty.

Loose Impediments: Anything that is Not Sand

Loose impediments are a common occurrence in golf. Be it trash, tree debris, or other natural unattached objects these are commonly found in the way of play. However, there are certain rules as to being able to remove these impediments: bunkers are no exception. In the prior rules, you would not be able to remove these impediments at all. This rule has since been changed. There are a few moments to be careful of. If your ball is in the bunker and a natural impediment is pressed against the ball, in a way that would move the ball if removed, it is a penalty still to remove that object. If you choose to remove it, then the ball must be replaced along with the penalty stroke.

Unplayable

There are moments, however, where exceptions are not enough. These moments are considered unplayable. While they are rare, anything from design to weather can create an unplayable condition inside of the bunker.

There are several options if this occurs:

• You can go back to play the shot again
• You can drop within two club lengths, so long as it is no nearer the hole
• You can drop outside of the bunker, on the line, for a two-stroke penalty

If there is water in the bunker, as with rain or melted snow, then a player is entitled relief. However, the relief must be inside of the bunker. There are times when the water is too high or covers the entirety of the bunker. In these instances, you can take the maximum relief while still remaining in the bunker. That means you can move the ball on the line, your feet are still in the water, but the ball is not. If there is no possibility of this, then you must drop the ball outside of the bunker under a penalty.

Final Note

Bunkers are a tricky beast. The sand can create various instances of ball instability, trick shots, and moments of frustration. Bunkers are mean to be difficult. They are designed to be deeply angled and unsteady: creating very few playable options. Yet, they are not impossible. The difficulties often come from these odd rules: not the penalties but the etiquette. Most players will simply enter the bunker under the impression that it can be treated in the same manner as the green or fairway. This is far from the case. As shown above, the bunkers are almost a second course in of themselves. When treated as such, then the intricacies are not as difficult. They are still instances where a player’s game can be severely affected but avoiding the pitfalls is more about the approach. The entire goal of the bunker is to test a players skill. These rules, while odd at times, are to create an even playing field. In the end, as always, follow the rules of the sand and watch your ball fly.