Bunker Play

Bunkers are one of the major hazards on a golf course. There are certain rules of etiquette that apply to bunker play:

• A player should always enter and leave a bunker at its lowest point (the face of a bunker takes years to develop and should be avoided).
• According to the Rules of Golf, you may never ground your club (allowing your club to touch the ground, sand, water, or anything else, during a practic swing). Doing so will incur a two-stroke penalty.
• You may not remove any loose impediments from the bunker. This includes stones, twigs or leaves.
• You may not test the condition of the mud or sand in the bunker by touching it.
• Be aware of the pace of play. For amateur golfers, after two or three failed attempts to get the ball out of the bunker, you should surrender to the hazard by picking up the ball and dropping it outside the bunker for further play. Obviously this is not allowed for tournament play, but for informal rounds, this is an acceptable way to move the game along.
• Always rake the bunker after use — and not just your footprints, but anything else that needs raking, as well. Leave the rake outside the bunker after use.

Read our tip from the Pro on Bunker Play >