Sand Solutions
The Rules of Golf offer guidance when a ball comes to rest
in a sandy area or bunker | by CRAIG WINTER
C
hambers Bay, host site of the
undoubtedly see practice swings through the
115th U.S. Open Championship,
sand, players lightly grounding their club as
is rare in championship golf in
they prepare to play their upcoming stroke
that the property does not have
as well as players and caddies removing loose
a single water hazard that will
impediments. Because Rule 13-4 only applies
come into play. However, its defenses are
when the ball is in a hazard, all of these things
obvious to anyone who has seen the course or
may be done without penalty.
knows the site’s history as the largest
sand and gravel mine in the nation: hit
the fairway or putting green, or face
A golfer may touch the
sand in a bunker in
the unpredictability of a sand-based lie.
order to search for and
While the challenges of playing
identify his or her ball.
strokes out of the sand are self-evident,
the subtle differences under the rules
require some explanation. In advance
of the U.S. Open, consider this your
brief refresher on the Rules of Golf as
they relate to the many sandy areas at
Chambers Bay.
For most actions you might consider
(e.g., grounding your club, removing
loose impediments or deeming your
ball unplayable), your first order of
business from a Rules of Golf perspective
is to determine whether your ball has
come to rest through the green or in
a bunker. At most courses, sandy areas
only exist within bunkers. However,
if you play at a course like Chambers
Bay that has an abundance of sand, some of
Knowing whether your ball lies through
which is located through the green, be sure to
the green or in a hazard is important for a
check on how the Committee has determined
number of rules, including Rule 28 (Ball
which areas are through the green and which
Unplayable). This rule provides three oneare bunkers.
stroke penalty relief options to get your
If you determine that your ball lies in a
ball out of a difficult position. Option A
bunker (which is a hazard under the rules),
is the same throughout the course while
you will need to heed the restrictions of
Options B and C are more restrictive when
Rule 13-4 (Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions).
your ball is in a bunker.
This rule has three restrictions. First, you may
Option A (Rule 28a) allows you to go back
not test the condition of the bunker or any
to where you last played from and re-play,
similar bunke Ȁ