Thursday, May 21, 2015

Ask Linda #1066-Lift rake, ball rolls into bunker

Linda:
We were golfing in a group. My ball was not in the bunker, but was on the ground leaning against a rake that was outside the bunker. When I moved the rake the ball fell into the bunker. Was I entitled to mark the ball and place it outside the bunker where it came to rest in the first place??
Lulu from Michigan

Dear Lulu,

Yes, but it is not an entitlement; it is a requirement.

A rake is a movable obstruction. If your ball moves when you lift the rake, the ball must be replaced [Rule 24-1a]. I always recommend that a player mark a ball when she suspects that it will move when she lifts the obstruction, but she is not required to do so. The only requirement is to replace the ball if it moves.

There is no penalty in this procedure. However, if the player does not replace the ball, she incurs a two-stroke (loss of hole in match play) penalty.

Linda
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