Cink DQ’ed for not penalizing self after testing a bunker
On Saturday, Stewart Cink’s ball came to rest just outside a fairway bunker. His stance was in the bunker. From there he hit a shot that came to rest in another bunker. He or his caddie raked his footprints in the bunker. On Sunday he was supposedly talking with Zach Johnson about the situation and Zach told him he shouldn’t have done that. Cink went to a Rules Official and was DQ’ed for failing to include the 2 stroke penalty under Rule 13-4 for testing a “similar hazard”.
Rule 13-4 says: “Except as provided in the Rules, before making a stroke at a ball that is in a hazard … the player must not:
a. Test the condition of the hazard or any similar hazard; …”
Since his ball was now in one bunker and he hadn’t made a stroke at it yet, he or his caddie were not allowed to rake the other bunker as that is considered testing.
This is the second time that this has come up in the last year and many people, including myself, feel it is harsh. It might change, but the USGA and R&A need time to finalize a decision that will deal with this and not open other holes in the rules.
I wrote an article looking at the possibility of bunkers not being hazards. You can read it here.
The real problem is the language “or similar hazard” . What does that mean? Sure, if you’re in the same bunker, thats one thing, but what about a cross bunker? Or, if I’m in a fairway bunker and hit into the greenside bunker, does that count? I’m sure as hell not going to hoof it back 160 yards to rake a bunker, not would I rake that bunker in a tournament situation to avoid the chance of penalty.
Stupid.
Similar hazard means if you are in a bunker any other bunker or if you are in a water hazard any other water hazard.
The rules do not distinguish between different kinds of bunkers in any way.
Right, I get that the rules don’t differentiate. Maybe a ruling should (hey some course even intentionally provide differnet conditions in fairway as opposed to greenside bunkers, so I would argue those aren’t simiar.)
My point was they should 86 the “or similar hazard” phrase from the rules. If you’re in a hazard and fail to get it out of that one, then the same rule still applies. But if you go from fairway to greenside, or even greenside to greenside, then let them rake the old one.
Since those of us who play AM events follow the same rules, this strikes as a bad trend. If I’m in a fairway bunker and fire it 180 yards at the green and miss and end up in another bunker (and that’s never happened before…) Now I don’t dare rake the old one for fear of penalty, and given that many qualifying events and most state GA events don’t have caddies, I’m not going to be able to rake the old one and risk being out of position on the next hole for timing purposes. So, you can end up with unraked bunkers. I can’t see how that’s good for the field, the tournament or even the game itself.
I do like your solution of making bunkers part of the course (having once watched a guy in the VA mid-am nearly lose a ball in a very fluffy bunker convinced me of that), but my solution seems an easier/quicker fix for raking errors.
Schultz, remember this is only a problem if your ball wasn’t in the bunker. If your ball was in the bunker and you hit it into another one, you can rake the bunker without any fear of penalty.
The problem doesn’t happen that frequently that it should cause an issue for you.
John, that makes no sense to me ……… but let me clarify. You’re saying if my ball in in a bunker and I hit it into another bunker, I can rake the first bunker with impunity before I proceed to play my next shot (out of bunker #2)?
Ann,
Yes, Rule 13-4, Exception 3 says:
“3. If the player makes a stroke from a hazard and the ball comes to rest in another hazard, Rule 13-4a does not apply to any subsequent actions taken in the hazard from which the stroke was made.”
This means that you can “test” the first hazard (Rule 13-4a) that you are in by raking or even taking a practice stroke that touches the sand.
Ah, now it makes sense, there’s an exception. So, maybe the exception should be broadened to include a stance in a hazard. So it would read, “a stroke from a hazard, or near a hazard in which the player had taken his stance.” Of course, the usual rules about stance would apply so you couldn’t game it by taking a wide stance (not a Larry Craig reference) and it wouldn’t apply if you stepped in a bunker after the shot since that’s not a stance.
Schultz,
Possibly. But, can he just rake the stance or can he walk across the bunker to get a rake and rake back across? What about the Church Pews at Oakmont. If the ball is on the pew and his stance is on the pew, why can’t he rake the bunker even though he didn’t need to stand in it since the only way to get to his ball was walking through the bunker?
There are always things to think about before changing a rule. There wouldn’t be much point to change it for one small part of the problem if a more comprehensive solution can be found with some time and thought.
The conflict is with the spirit of leaving the golf course in better shape than you find it.
Having a rule that rubs against that spirit seems unjustifiable.
John, How long would it take for your thesis to be implemented? Is the environment ripe for making the rules easier for the layman to understand?
It seems like nobody but you rules official, understand them fully, anymore.
I’m trying to find the decision on the meaning of the word “before” in 13-4. Is it the shot, the hole, or the round?
For example: If Cink had hit his shot on the green instead of the bunker then putted into a bunker is he still penalized?
Charles,
The title of the rule is “Ball in Hazard” and the entire phrase is “before making a stroke at a ball in a hazard” So, the ball has to be in the hazard before you get in trouble for doing any of the things listed.
As long as Cink’s shot did not finish in a bunker, he could rake the bunker. If he later hit the ball into a bunker it wouldn’t matter, because, at the time he raked the bunker the ball was not in one.
If a player hitting out of a sand trap advances the ball, but the ball remains in the same trap, can that player take a practice swing ( hitting the sand) from the same stance? I believe Tiger did this at Doral this year. The ball never left the hazard but he took a practice swing after his first failed shot.
Paul,
No, Exception 2 says that if the ball still lies in the bunker, you can rake it as long as that does not viloate Rule 13-2 for the next shot, but says nothing about taking a practice swing that touches the sand. Decision 13-4/35 specifically prohibits this. I did not see Tiger do this at Doral, but I didn’t get a chance to see much of the coverage that week.
if the balls is not in the bunker, but the player takes his stance in the bunker, am I right that the club may not touch anything (in or outside the bunker) – e.g as in taking one or two practice swings at the grass next the ball and then hitting it.
Mac,
Everything depends on where the ball is when you take an action. Since the ball is outside the bunker, you can do anything you would normally do when a ball is outside the bunker. So, there is no problem taking practice swings or touching anything.