[Brian_Gracely]

For whatever reason, my home club has gone through what seems like an annual change of opinion on where the rakes should be placed.  I've been trying to do some research on the proper placement and there seem to be a wide range of opinions.  Here's a few of the things I've found:

1) Looking through Legendary Golf Clubs of the American East, it appears that there is not a consistency between Merion, Shinnecock, The Country Club and the others that are profiles.  There seems to be a 50/50 split between in and out of the bunkers.

2) I read a USGA statement that said the rakes should be placed outside the bunkers as it simplifies ruling issues if the ball is touching the rake in the bunker.

3) Looking at courses in the UK, they often have a small tube near the bunker and stand the rakes upright (teeth-side up).  

4) I played a course recently that placed the rakes in the middle of the bunkers.  This was the first time I'd ever seen this.

In talking with our club professional, he seemed to concur that placing them in the middle of bunkers was the best option because it eliminated the greater chance of the rake preventing the ball from rolling in the bunker (rake out) or staying up under a lip (rake in).  While the rake in the middle of the bunker could still effect a shot, he thinking was that it offer the least chance to significantly effect where the ball actually would come to rest without the rake.

Any thoughts on the proper placement of those rakes?  Being a huge fan of Tobacco Road, I could also be pursuaded to remove the rakes all together, but that would rule out the chance that Matt Ward would ever visit our club, but it might summon the spirit of Max Behr and bring some goodness to our clay-rich soil....

Thoughts?

 

[Kevin_Reilly]

My club is rake-in, with no specific guidelines as to where to place the rake in the bunker.  Most seem to be placed near an edge.  I would agree taht they shouldn't be placed in a spot where they would trap a ball running into the trap.  

[Brian_Ewen]

Brian
I personally prefer in the bunker .

From the R&A's website :
http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?action=rules.rulessub.faq

24. Should rakes be placed inside or outside bunkers?  
It is recommended that rakes be placed outside bunkers as on balance it is felt there is less likelihood of an advantage or disadvantage to the player. 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 especially true of small bunkers. If a ball comes to rest against a rake in the bunker, the player must proceed under Rule 24-1 and 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 - see Decision 20-3d/2. If rakes are left in the middle of the bunker, the only way to do so is to throw them into the bunker, damaging the surface. Also, if a rake is in the middle of a large bunker it is either not used or the player is obliged to rake a large area of the bunker resulting in unnecessary delay. Ultimately, it is a matter for the Committee to decide where it wishes rakes to be placed (see Decision Misc./2).  

[Lou_Duran]

Without a doubt, out of the sand.  Sups. don't sometimes like it because this forces the laborers to hop off the mower to remove and replace them.

[Mike Benham]

Attached to the golf cart ... ... next to the bottle of sand

[Brian_Gracely]

I'm going to ignore Mike's reply..

...but one other question:

During the Open Championship, each group is assigned a "raker" (not sure of the official name) who not only rakes the bunkers but also records each time a player goes in the bunker.  Why is this recorded?  

[Mike Benham]

I'm going to ignore Mike's reply..

But why?  I had a winky face !!!

During the Open Championship, each group is assigned a "raker" (not sure of the official name) who not only rakes the bunkers but also records each time a player goes in the bunker.  Why is this recorded?  

Purely for statistical purposes ...

[noonan]

For us non pros in the bunker is the best place.

[cary lichtenstein]

out

[Matthew Mollica]

In the bunker, at it's lowest point, with the handle pointing in the direction of the hole's line of play, with the teeth of the bunker facing the forward direction of play. Never seen a problem with rakes positioned in this manner.

I can tell you, if a rake was outside a trap, and my ball touched it, only to find it's way into the sand, the bloke that left it there would find that he himself would become the new receptacle in which the rake was stored.

Some rakes at my home club have been positioned in a small tube, countersunk in the ground adjacent to the bunker, with a lid on top of the rake container. Maybe this is the best solution.

Matthew

[Marty Bonnar]

Balanced at exactly it's centre of gravity on the greenside edge of the bunker thus achieving the most minimal possible stymieing potential?

At Highlands Reserve last month we witnessed the hilarious vision of a fourball of (clearly!) relative golf newbies raking their way out of the ENORMOUS waste bunkers. The poor guys obviously hadn't been told to just ignore those areas. One of them definitely raked at least 60 yards of Sand!!! An AMERICAN member of our fourball eventually PHONED (eek!) the clubhouse TWICE to get them to send a Ranger to hurry them along!!!

FBD

[A_Clay_Man]

I suppose it depends on the course the hole or the bunker it's self. Many bunkers have either raised lips or some form of kickplate type aspect to them. When the rake is placed outside, the likelyhood of that rake effecting a ball in motion is much higher than if the ball in motion is within the bunker. So, the justification the USGA gives, to eliminate the possibility of a rules headache, seems contrary to the spirit of the sport.

The counter intuitiveness of many of these kickplates make challenging these bunkers much more exciting, and by having the chance that some outside entity (rake) will effect the bounce and/or roll of the ball in motion is is is... UNFAIR (ha)

[JohnV]

In the bunker, at it's lowest point, with the handle pointing in the direction of the hole's line of play, with the teeth of the bunker facing the forward direction of play. Never seen a problem with rakes positioned in this manner.

At my old course, they had the newer style rakes with the curved "lip" on the top that could be used for smoothing the sand.  I saw at least 5 balls over the years come to rest on top of a rake in this area.  If the rake was positioned where you say, the player would have to lift the rake and drop the ball in the sand.  It certainly never made me happy when I had to do this.  Also, putting rakes in the middle of bunkers means I have to walk out into the middle of the bunker to get the rake and make sure I rake my way out, before going to rake where I just hit from.  Extra work and extra time.

Rakes belong outside the bunkers.  If my ball comes to rest  on one out there, at least I'm dropping my ball in grass where I should get a better lie.

[A_Clay_Man]

JohnV- A better lie? With all the misguided rough growing around the perimeter of bunkers, I know I'd rather have a sand shot. But, I am a mad man !

[Steve Hyden]

Per a rules seminar last month, The Florida State Golf Association recommends placing rakes in the bunkers.

[JohnV]

Adam,  You'd rather have a plugged lie in the bunker?  Also, if the rakes are placed on the grassy slopes of the bunker and it stops your ball, in all probability the ball would roll into the bunker on each of two drops and you'd get to place it.

Tommy, very interesting, that is the first association I've ever heard of that recomended that.

[A_Clay_Man]

John- I am one who would, but that is not how I perceive it for the majority. If my ball comes to rest against a rake in the bunker, I move the rake, if the ball moves, I always thought it got placed back. In the instance you described, where the ball was actually on the rake, suspended in mid air (so to speak) is the procedure different, or am wrong on the way I've been proceeding?

[Robert_Walker]

OUT, Looks better!
Out is Harder on the Greenkeeper, but looks better.

[John Gosselin]

Timely topic.


Last night in our golf committee meeting we had our annual discussion on this very topic, in or out. This year we will be in at or near the bottom of the bunkers to encourage players to enter a bunker on the low side. The consensus of the group was that the rules of golf are clear enough that our members will understand what to do if the ball comes to rest touching the rake.

This wont be the final say. The greens committee still has to have their annual discussion.

[Mike_Cirba]

In the trash.  

[Dan Kelly]

In the trash.  

Would you expect a player to smooth out his footprints before exiting a bunker? (I would. I mean: A hazard should be a hazard -- but a ball at the bottom of a deep heel print seems beyond hazardous, to me.)

Seems to me most people could do just as good a smoothing job with their feet as they generally do with rakes.

[Doug Wright]

Dan K,

Yes feet work fine but what % of the visitors to the bunkers will take the time to do it or do it right?

At our club after some discussion the preferred approach is to lean the rakes against the edge so that about 18 inches of rake handle protrudes. Pretty inobtrusive that way, though I've found that the members don't quite follow protocol very often and so the rakes are in/out all over.

PS Brian, this topic has been covered before in the past year so maybe you can find it with a search.

Best,

[Jonathan Cummings]

Once again Mike is right on.  No rakes anywhere.  Hazards should be basically unmaintained.  I would like a player to be reduced to putty when he thinks of landing in one.  Footprints, rocks, hard spots even weeds should be all fair play.  The only maintenance a greenskeeper should have to perform is an annual torching of each bunker!

JC

[Pat K]

 
     The perennial question of where to put the bunker rakes. At Essex the rakes have been in the bunker, out of the bunker, on the lowside, on the high side, they have been everywhere. We are blessed with a diverse set of bunkers which range from 500 sq.ft. to almost a half acre. How do we have a simple set of rules for all situations? Particularly when in the large bunkers all the rakes at the end of the day end up at the corner closest to the green. What we have been doing the last several years is to have the rakes half in/ half out with the direction parallel to the direction of play. On the small bunkers they are kept on the outer half of the hazard. The large bunkers have them spaced evenly throughout, both on the edges and several in the middle. The club uses all wood rakes which look like miniature hay rakes, so it doesn't detract from the appearrance. If we used plastic it probably wouldn't work as well. I think the design of the bunkers and their surrounds determine what works at your club.

[Dan Kelly]

Maybe we should each carry a little collapsible telescoping rake in our bags, next to the water-ball retriever.

The pro shops would love it!

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