Rules of Golf

Playing Out of a Hazard

Storing the basic rules of golf in your memory banks will pay big dividends on the golf course.

Even the best of us finds ourselves in a hazard every now and then. Often that’s because we’re in a bunker, or we’re at the edge of a water hazard and want to take our chances rather than incur penalty strokes. However, there are several rules of golf to follow in order to avoid penalties.

One of the golf rules most commonly violated is the prohibition against grounding the club while in a hazard. That means that your club isn’t allowed to make contact with the hazard prior to your shot.

Be very careful when in a bunker when taking any practice swings. It’s OK to line up your shot while in the bunker and hover the golf club over the ball, but if you hit the sand as part of your practice swing, it is a two-stroke penalty. Water provides an even trickier issue. Be very sure that your practice swing doesn’t touch the surface, or it will cost you those same two strokes.



The rule governing playing out of hazards (USGA Golf Rule 13-4, if you are keeping track) goes beyond the clubs. You can’t test the condition of the sand by touching it with your hands, or improve your lie by shifting the surrounding dirt or loose impediments. That’s also a two-stroke penalty. It doesn’t matter if the people in the trap before you didn’t rake the sand smooth as they should have, and you’re hitting out of an unfair lie as a result. Don’t try to fix it until after your shot. Then repair the damage so the next golfer won’t suffer the same fate.

Here’s what you can do: You can dig your feet into the hazard as deep as you want. Heck, bury your shoes in there if you like, as long as you don’t send me the cleaning bill. And there is no penalty if you make contact with something considered an integral part of the course, so don’t worry if you hit a tree branch while you practice.

However, if you slip while climbing into a particularly slick sand trap, don’t worry that you’ll lose the hole if you slip and inadvertently touch the hazard with your hand. Golf Rule 13-4 offers amnesty to those violations that come while trying to avoid a fall.

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