Can you rake a bunker before you play your shot?
By The Fairway Labs TeamReviewed
Bunkers
Penalty: Two strokes
Can you rake a bunker before you play your shot?
PenaltyTwo strokes· under Rule 8
What to do
- 1Leave footprints and irregularities near your ball untouched until after your stroke.
- 2Rake only areas that will not affect your stance, swing, or line of play.
- 3Once your ball is out of the bunker, rake freely to tidy up for the next player.
Based on the modern Rules of Golf (Rule 8), as published by the USGA and The R&A and effective from the 2019 revision. Local rules can modify some situations — check the scorecard or with the committee when in doubt.
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