I reached into the bunker with my wedge to grab the rake. My club touched the sand. Penalty, or no?
I think this was a penalty under the old rules, but the new rules are much more lenient.
Rule #12.2-b covers this. If you touch the sand to test the condition of the sand, or to improve your lie, then it's a penalty. If you touch the sand in a practice swing, or on your backswing, then it's a penalty. That last part always gets me, but I think that's what Patrick Reed did in the Bahamas a number of years ago. It's clever, but it's cheating.
There is no penalty for touch the sand in other ways, including striking the sand in frustration. That one surprises me. It's not a good look.
No comments:
Post a Comment