Standing in a bunker.

Hi,

Playing today my partner was saying that a friend of his was playing in a competition and had a very akward lie, while his ball was sitting in the semi rough he had to stand in a bunker to get a swing at it. He adressed the ball as normally as he could but was told by his opponent, after he'd taken his shot, that as he'd grounded his club it was a penalty and he should forfeit the hole. He had ground his club but in the semi rough grass not in the bunker. What is the correct ruling here?

Campbell

Your club may not touch a hazard before making a swing at the ball.  Semi-rough is not classed as a hazard so grounding his club is fine.  His opponent either does not know what he is talking about or was cheating. 

My understanding is the same as Chris's.  Its the position of the ball that determines whether you can ground your club not where your feet are.

I'm not sure of this, I think if your standing in a hazard the ruling changes. I've had this rule a few times & never quite knew what was right so I never ground the club just in case.

The Ball was not in the Hazard, therefore grounding the club does not impose any sort of penalty.

Sounds like he has pulled a fast one!

Thinking the same way means that you cant stand OOB to play a ball that is IN BOUNDS and you CAN play a ball that is OOB if you are standing IN BOUNDS.  Err NO!!

Also if your ball is in a Bunker but you stand outside it to play, you CAN ground your club.  Err NO!!

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. Its the position of the Ball that counts.

here here David,

Lets expose these cheating scum bags and beat em round the head with a lob wedge!

Mind you, he may not have been cheating, in which case beat him for being a dumb ass

I don't carry a lob wedge, so can I use his?

by all means, or borrow mine!

Try a driver for 2 reasons:

1.  Larger striking area

and

2.  If you break it you have a good excuse to go an buy a shiney new one.

I think that may be off the agenda for me.  Dave Ley offered to reshaft mine in front of my missus yesterday and got a bollocking from her!

Are you sure she didn't mis-interpret what he said?? She might have thought Dave said "I'll give you a good shafting..."