Can I ground my club in a bunker before hitting?

No, you cannot ground your club in the sand of a bunker before making your stroke. Rule 12.2b prohibits touching the sand with your club right in front of or behind the ball, during a practice swing, or on your backswing — doing so costs you the general penalty of two strokes.

What the rule actually bans

Rule 12.2b(1) says that before making a stroke at a ball in a bunker, you must not deliberately touch the sand with your club in the area right in front of or right behind the ball. You also can't touch the sand during a practice swing or on your backswing. The idea is that you play the ball as it lies without testing or improving the sand. If you do any of those things, it's the general penalty: two strokes in stroke play, loss of hole in match play.

When touching the sand is allowed

You may touch the sand to remove a loose impediment (like a leaf or pine cone) or a movable obstruction (like a rake) — as long as your actions are reasonable and you don't improve the conditions more than necessary. You can also probe the sand with a tee or similar object to check for tree roots, rocks, or drainage pipes, provided you're not testing the sand's consistency. And if you've lifted your ball to take relief but haven't decided which option to use yet, the bunker restrictions still apply until you drop.

Exceptions that change the answer

• Removing a loose impediment or movable obstruction → You may touch or move sand while reasonably removing the object; no penalty even if conditions improve (Interpretation 12.2a/1).
• Probing for roots, rocks, or obstructions → You may probe the sand with a tee or similar tool to locate interference, as long as you're not testing the sand's condition (Interpretation 12.2b/2).
• Ball lifted for relief but option not yet chosen → Rule 12.2b restrictions still apply to the bunker until you decide and drop (Interpretation 12.2b/3).
• Mound of sand from an animal hole → The same no-touch restrictions apply to that mound, but you may take free relief from the animal hole under Rule 16.1c (Interpretation 12.2b/1).

Frequently asked questions

Can I rest my club on the sand behind the ball at address?

No. Touching the sand with your club right behind or in front of the ball at address is prohibited by Rule 12.2b(1) and carries the general penalty of two strokes.

What if my practice swing brushes the sand in the bunker?

That's a breach. Touching the sand during a practice swing while your ball is in the bunker violates Rule 12.2b(1) — two-stroke penalty in stroke play, loss of hole in match play.

Can I lean on my club while waiting to play from a bunker?

Yes, as long as you're not touching the sand in the area right in front of or behind the ball. Leaning on your club away from that zone is fine.

If I declare my ball unplayable in a bunker, can I ground my club while deciding?

No. Once you've lifted the ball but haven't chosen a relief option, the bunker restrictions still apply (Interpretation 12.2b/3). You must not touch the sand until you drop.

Is there any penalty if I accidentally kick sand in the bunker?

Only if it improves the conditions affecting your stroke. Accidentally kicking sand that doesn't improve your lie, stance, swing, or line of play carries no penalty.