Ask Linda #17-grounding club in bunker

Dear Linda,
My playing partners noticed that on my backswing in a bunker some sand came flying off my club. Is there a penalty for this?
Lulu


Dear Lulu,

In order for your backswing to have dislodged some sand, your club must have been touching the sand when you addressed the ball. This “touching” is called “grounding your club.” You are not permitted to ground your club in a bunker or a water hazard. When the sand came flying off your club you incurred a two-stroke penalty in stroke play or loss of hole in match play for grounding your club under Rule 13–4. Sorry I don’t have better news for you.

Linda

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