Bunker Rake Placement and Course Etiquette

Bunker Rake Placement

Every year I get the question of where to place the bunker rakes; in the bunker, partly in the bunker, or outside the bunker?  The USGA has no specific rule on bunker rake placement and recommends the committee decide where it wishes the rakes to be placed.  As a result the HFCC G&G committee would like all members to put the rakes on the inside edge of the bunker.

Rakes on the inside edge of a bunker.

The reason for putting the rakes on the inside edge of the bunker is simply a matter of economics, it reduces maintenance costs.  When the mowers do not need to stop the machine and move all the rakes they are more efficient and can finish quicker.  While stopping and moving a rake may not seem like much, stopping for nearly 70 bunkers and doing this through a season adds up to thousands of dollars in labor costs.

Course Etiquette

It is at this time of year that I like to review some basic rules for the golf course.  These rules help to keep our beautiful course in great shape and allow your fellow golfers to experience the course at its best.

Cart Path Only Rule – During times of wet weather or severe turf stress, carts must stay on the cart path.  This is both for the course’s protection and yours.  Remember, all par 3’s are cart path only.

90° Rule – After hitting each shot, travel down the cart path until even with your ball and travel at a right angle to your ball, hit your shot and travel back to the path using a 90° line back to the path.  Signs at the white tee markers will indicate whether the hole is 90° or Cart Path Only.  It is possible that some holes will be 90° and others Cart Path Only.  Please pay attention to the signage.

Wet Area Signs – Please keep carts away from wet area signs as these designate areas on the fairway that are too wet to accommodate cart traffic.

Divots in Fairways and Roughs – Please replace all divots in fairways and roughs, then, press firmly with your foot.  These can also be topdressed with the sand provided in the carts.

Divots on Tees – Please fill all divots with the sand provided at the tee as these have seed in them.  Do not use the sand in the boxes at the tees to fill your sand bottles, as we do not want the seed in the boxes to contaminate the other grasses on the course.  However, you can use your sand bottles to fix divots on the tees.

Ball Marks on Greens – Please repair your ball marks on the greens.  If you cannot find yours, please repair any ball mark that you see.  The correct method for repairing a ball mark is to place your repair tool on the outside edge of the ball mark and pull the edge inward.  Do this all around the ball mark and then flatten lightly with your putter.