Every golfer will eventually find themselves in a bunker. It is inevitable if you play the game with any sort of regularity. Even the best players in the world find the sand from time to time. Once you find yourself there, your first goal is to get out with a good shot. TGW has some tips to help you do just that. The next thing on your mind should be conducting your bunker business with the proper etiquette and respecting the ground you’re playing on. Here are some easy ways to do that and make everyone’s life on the golf course a little easier.
Enter From the Proper Place
Every bunker has a high side and a low side. You should always enter a bunker from the low side and follow the same path in and out of the hazard. Traversing the steeper side of a bunker creates deeper footprints and causes the sand to slide, leaving you with more work to do with the rake when you’re done. It can also cause damage to the grass on the steeper terrain. Always enter from the lowest side and follow in your same footsteps when you enter and exit.
Don’t Forget the Rake
Always be sure to grab the rake and bring it with you when you enter the bunker. This will save you time and unnecessary mess by eliminating an extra trip across the sand to grab the rake after you hit your shot.
Rake With a Purpose
Don’t just drag the rake behind you as you leave the sand and call it good. First, use the flat back side of the rake to fill in any deep spots. Then turn the rake over and smooth out any footprints, ball marks, divots, and ridges. Rake the sand by pushing it away from you as you exit. Pulling the sand toward you creates those lines and ridges which can make for an even trickier lie for the next golfer to find that sand trap.
Tap Off Your Shoes
Sand can easily get trapped on the bottom of your golf shoes with all the traction elements involved. When you exit the bunker, take the time to tap off your shoes with a golf club or give them a quick wipe with a brush. This will save you from tracking sand onto other parts of the golf course, especially the greens, where you could make putting more difficult for the players behind you.
Replace the Rake
You should always abide by the local rules when it comes to placing the rake back in the proper location. If there is no set rule for the golf course you’re on, use this as a guide: place the rake in a location that minimizes the chances of it interfering with play. If that is in the bunker, place it in a flat area so it is less likely to stop a golf ball on a slope. If that is outside the bunker or halfway in, lay the rake parallel to the hole on the side of the bunker that is farthest from the line of play. This will greatly reduce the chance of the rake coming into play for golfers coming up behind you.
If you follow these 5 steps, you can leave the bunker better than you found it and make for a more pleasant golf course experience for everyone.
