Raking Bunkers
Also known as: rake a bunker, raking a bunker, how to rake a bunker, where to leave the rake, where do I leave the rake, bunker rake, ball against the rake
After playing from a bunker, smooth your footprints and the mark from your shot with the rake. Then leave the rake where the course asks. Policies differ between courses. If your ball comes to rest against a rake, remove the rake and replace the ball without penalty if it moves.
Enter the bunker from the low side nearest your ball, not down the steep face. Take the rake in with you so it is ready when you finish. After your shot, rake the area you played from and every footprint as you walk out backward. Pull the sand gently toward you, then push it back to leave an even surface. Leave the rake where the course asks. Many courses want rakes outside the bunker and some want them inside.
Once your ball is out of the bunker, you may smooth the sand freely without penalty. That holds even if you might have to drop back into it. Before your shot, you may smooth sand only to care for the course. It must never improve your lie, stance, swing or line. A rake is a movable obstruction. If your ball moves when you remove one, replace it with no penalty. If the ball lies on the rake, lift it, remove the rake and drop the ball in the bunker within one club-length of the spot right under where it lay.
Under the Rules, a ball in a footprint is played as it lies. A golfer who skips raking can leave the next player a bad lie through no fault of their own. That is why raking is part of caring for the course.
Tips by skill level
Enter and leave from the low side and rake as you back out. If no rake policy is posted, put the rake back where you found it.
If your ball is still in the bunker, limit raking to course care away from your lie and line. Do the full tidy-up after your shot.
Example
A golfer splashes out of a greenside bunker. She walks back out along her footprints, rakes them and her shot area smooth and lays the rake outside the bunker as the scorecard asks.
Why it matters
A smooth bunker is part of caring for the course. It also saves the next golfer from a footprint lie that the Rules give no relief from.
Common mistakes
- Climbing out over the steep face and leaving deep prints
- Raking only the shot area and forgetting footprints
- Smoothing sand near the ball before the shot in a way that improves the lie
- Leaving the rake where no one can find it or where it blocks play
Frequently asked questions
Where do I leave the rake after raking a bunker?
Follow the course's policy, often posted on the scorecard or at the first tee. Many courses want rakes outside the bunker and some want them inside. If nothing is posted, put it back where you found it.
Can I rake the bunker before I hit?
Only to care for the course, and never in a way that improves your lie, stance, swing or line of play. The safe approach is to rake after your ball is out.
What if my ball is against the rake in a bunker?
Remove the rake. If the ball moves, replace it on its spot without penalty. If it lies on the rake, lift it, remove the rake and drop it in the bunker within one club-length.
How do you rake a bunker properly?
Enter from the low side. After your shot, rake your footprints and the mark you made as you walk out backward. Leave an even surface and put the rake where the course asks.
Sources
Related terms
- Bunker ShotA bunker shot is any stroke played from a sand hazard. The two families play nothing alike: greenside, where the club never touches the ball, and fairway, where clean ball-first contact is the whole objective.
- Bunker Rules (Touching the Sand)In a bunker you must not touch the sand with your club right in front of or behind the ball. You also must not touch it in a practice swing, in your backswing, or on purpose to test it. The penalty is two strokes in stroke play or loss of the hole in match play.
- Golf EtiquetteGolf etiquette comes down to safety, pace and care of the course. Wait until the group ahead is out of range, shout 'fore' if your ball heads toward anyone, and keep up with the group in front. Repair ball marks, replace or fill divots and rake bunkers after you play from them.
- Replacing and Filling DivotsOn the fairway, put your divot back in its hole and press it down with your foot if the turf comes out in one piece. If it breaks apart, or the course provides divot mix, fill the hole level with the mix and smooth it. On tees, many courses ask you to fill divots with mix rather than replace them.
- Greenside Bunker TechniqueGreenside bunker technique uses an open stance and face. The club enters the sand a few inches behind the ball and never touches the ball on a good shot.
- Repairing Ball Marks and Spike MarksYes, you may repair spike marks, ball marks and almost any other damage on the putting green, even on your putting line. That includes shoe damage, old hole plugs, turf seams, scrapes from equipment or the flagstick, and animal tracks. You may not repair natural imperfections, such as aeration holes, uneven growth or weeds, or the natural wear of the hole.
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