Barb Hanson
My ball has been stuck up against a rake in the bunker a couple of times lately which prompted me to wonder whether rakes should be left in the bunker or outside of the bunker. Here’s what the USGA has to say in Decisions on the Rules of Golf:
“There is not a perfect answer for the position of rakes, but on balance it is felt there is less likelihood of an advantage or disadvantage to the player if rakes are placed outside of bunkers.
“It may be argued that there is more likelihood of a ball being deflected into or kept out of a bunker if the rake is placed outside the bunker. It could also be argued that if the rake is in the bunker it is most unlikely that the ball will be deflected out of the bunker.
“However, in practice, players who leave rakes in bunkers frequently leave them at the side which tends to stop a ball rolling into the flat part of the bunker, resulting in a much more difficult shot than would otherwise have been the case. This is most prevalent at a course where the bunkers are small. When the ball come to rest on or against a rake in the bunker and the player must proceed under Rule 24-1, it may not be possible to replace the ball on the same spot or find a spot in the bunker which is not nearer the hole….
“If rakes are left in the middle of the bunker the only way to position them is to throw them into the bunker and this causes damage to the surface. Also if a rake is in the middle of a large bunker it is either not used or the player is obligated to rake a large area of the bunker resulting in unnecessary delay.
“Therefore, after considering all these aspects, it is recommended that rakes should be left outside bunkers in areas where they are least likely to affect the movement of the ball.”