Rule changes

Just been having a quick look through some of the rule changes that are due to come into effect on Jan 1st. One in particular looks fraught with 'danger'.

Players will be allowed to rake a bunker before they play a shot if they so wish providing it doesn't improve the lie or swing path. So you're one side of a fairway and your opponent is in a bunker the other side of the fairway. He jumps in with the rake and starts break dancing around the bunker. Did he use the rake to improve the swing path to the ball, or did he actually use it to move the ball whilst appearing to rake the bunker?

Although we all recognise the integrity of the game, and more importantly the vast majority of those who play the game, its naive to believe that no one will see this as an opportunity to gain an advantage.  Equally, it will put doubt in the mind of players by them thinking 'did he cheat.'

I'm not quite sure what the R & A expected to achieve by this improvement but, personally, I think they've screwed up with this one.

Thoughts?

Brian ,yes a strange one that not sure that needed looking at , was hoping they would look at relief from a divot on a fairway though. 

We can no longer play a 'wrong ball' out of a hazard without penalty. So we must ID the ball as ours, that means walking into a bunker to look at a ball. Smoothing were we have been is now OK.

Brian,

You know that cheaters will cheat, even when they are being watched. Nothing changes there.

TheLyth