Hi fellow golfers, playing recently, I was in a sand trap, and was moving my feet into the ground, when a mate shouted over (you can only move your feet twice) thought it was a wind up, after checking all I can find is that you can't build a stance, nothing about planting your feet into the sand, any views please. Cheers Graham

never heard that one Graham

Thank's Tim, as I thought, he is always trying something, perhaps because I was two up. Regards Graham

nice one, try telling him that the R&A have introduced a limit on the amount of practice swings you can take.....lol....get your own back

Thank's Dan, that would be a good one, used to wind up's when playing football, but this goes to another level, he also has a habit of wispering to anybody that's by the T, and it is true a whisper is louder than normal speech which I can put up with, but I do tend to get him back.

yeah, the whisperer no one likes a whisperer, nearly as bad as a 'tee peg jangler'...lol

I was watching the highlights of the latest LPGA tour and the leader at the time was given a 2 stroke penalty when the caddie went into the sand trap and moved his foot just a tiny bit to "test the sand" that is what brought me to this forum. I move my feet roughly 10 times to feel the sand and level my feet Im a pretty good sand player considering my handicap but im worried ive now been cheating on every sand shot.

Signed- Confused

I found this on a un official golf rules website http://www.easypars.com/rules-for-bunkers-hazards/

There are some things that the golfer is allowed to do when playing out of a hazard or sand trap. Even though a golfer cannot improve his or her stance, he or she is allowed to firmly plant their feet. This means that golfers hitting the ball out of sand trap can wiggle their feet until they feel them firmly planted into the sand.

Hope this helps. Makes me feel better now i don't have to change my sand shot set up.

Only the really good courses have a consistent depth of sand to play from. Foot wriggling is essential to establish the depth.

If you are establishing the depth of the sand is this not "testing " the sand. I have always been fairly carefull just to get a grip but not " TEST " the sand. Its always seemed a very ambiguous rule open to different interpretations. Dave CAC handed Geordie.

I've never had any problem with bunkers, in that I go in, wriggle until comfortable, set myself and play the shot. Bunkers are not places to worry about anything but the shot in hand. I've never had a partner or opponent question my bunker play. P.S. I think my ability equates well to my handicap.

My golf shoes are not capable of testing anything and all one is doing is getting a solid stance with the knowledge how much or little the depth of sand is.

I don't think I've ever called anyone for building a stance in a bunker. Moving loose impediments, particularly leaves, now that's a different story!

Hi fella golfers, thank's for all your opinions, I think opinions go in favour that providing you don't build a stance you can set yourself so that you feel comfortable, the fella I was playing with is always trying to find some reason to put you off and this was one of many, I posted this Aug last year and now I have so many responses, must be we can't get on the golf course (mine Lingfield is sodden) although played Bramley in a society on the 6th lovely day and the course too, if anyone gets a chance to play, well worth a visit the greens are good and very fast. Thank's for all your replies. Good golfing Graham

Decision 13-4/0.5 throws some light on this subject;

*Examples of actions that would not constitute testing the condition of the hazard include the following:

...digging in with the feet for a stance, including for a practice swing, anywhere in the hazard or in a similar hazard;*

Stacy Lewis was penalised two strokes on 16th March when her caddie absent mindedly tested the surface of a bunker with his foot while her ball was in it. He was obviously not digging in for a stroke or a practice swing and she was responsible for her caddie's breach of Rule 13-4.

Fortunately for him, Stacy won the tournament anyway!

Barry Rhodes