Walking through a bunker

[Augster]

Player A has a pitch, from the rough, over a bunker to the green. The bunker is massive, left to right. The player wants to look at the landing area on the green, and to save time, chooses to just walk straight through the bunker and back to look at the green. Then he rakes his footprints after walking back to play the shot. 
 

Is this allowed? 
 

Thanks. 

[rogolf]

See the Clarification below, particularly the first sentence:

8.1d(2)/3 – If Player Enters a Bunker on the Line of Play They Must Not Restore Worsened Conditions

Players should be careful when taking actions that might affect the conditions affecting the stroke because worsening these areas means that the player must accept the worsened condition.

For example, a player is taking relief from an abnormal course condition behind a bunker and the dropped ball rolls into the bunker. If the player creates footprints while walking into the bunker to retrieve the ball to drop it again, they are not allowed to restore the bunker to its previous condition  if doing so would create an improvement  under Rule 8 because the player was responsible for worsening its condition.

In such a case, the player could use another ball for the second drop (Rule 14.3a) or take additional care when retrieving the original ball to avoid worsening the conditions affecting the stroke.

[antip]

The short version is, outside the putting green and teeing area, if you damage your own CATS, you have to live with it. 

[Augster]

So he wouldn’t be able to rake it after going to take a look? 
 

But he’s allowed to take a look. 
 

I’m assuming he’s not allowed to dig his feet in to see how firm. 
 

Thanks. 

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, Augster said:

I’m assuming he’s not allowed to dig his feet in to see how firm.

 

Why not?

[Mr. Bean]

1 hour ago, Augster said:

I’m assuming he’s not allowed to dig his feet in to see how firm. 
 

 

The last part of your statement hints towards what may constitute testing the bunker. Then again, if that digging is not more than one would be allowed to do before making a stroke from that same bunker it probably would be allowed.

 

Personally I would be very careful with such an activity.

[davep043]

3 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

The last part of your statement hints towards what may constitute testing the bunker. Then again, if that digging is not more than one would be allowed to do before making a stroke from that same bunker it probably would be allowed.

 

Personally I would be very careful with such an activity.

Even when the Player's ball is in the bunker, he may dig is feet in when taking a practice swing, and there is no specified limit on the number of times he may do that.  I can't see any prohibition on digging in and taking a practice swing when the ball is NOT in the bunker, it certainly won't improve the CATS.  Heck, there's no prohibition on specifically testing the sand when the ball isn't in the bunker.

[iacas]

3 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

The last part of your statement hints towards what may constitute testing the bunker. Then again, if that digging is not more than one would be allowed to do before making a stroke from that same bunker it probably would be allowed.

 

Personally I would be very careful with such an activity.

 

I've been told (a few times) that you can dig your feet into a bunker. Even if you do so repeatedly and not even near your golf ball in the bunker.

 

Essentially… you can't test the condition of a bunker… unless it's with your feet.

 

The video linked above is from when I was trying to make an extreme case that I thought was going to be against the Rules, but that was okayed as well. They essentially said "you can't gain more info doing that than you can digging your feet in near your ball, which is allowed, so… it's allowed."

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by iacas

[Mr. Bean]

9 hours ago, iacas said:

 

I've been told (a few times) that you can dig your feet into a bunker. Even if you do so repeatedly and not even near your golf ball in the bunker.

 

Essentially… you can't test the condition of a bunker… unless it's with your feet.

 

The video linked above is from when I was trying to make an extreme case that I thought was going to be against the Rules, but that was okayed as well. They essentially said "you can't gain more info doing that than you can digging your feet in near your ball, which is allowed, so… it's allowed."

 

 

Very interesting. I would have certainly said that the guy on that video was at least building a stance but if "they" is USGA then it must be ok.

 

Current Rules do not say anything about diggind one's feet in eccess but somehow I recollect there having been such a phrase. Maybe my recollection is not correct.