What happens if I lift my ball from a bunker but haven't decided on relief yet?

Yes, the bunker restrictions still apply. If you've lifted your ball from a bunker to take relief but haven't yet chosen between relief inside the bunker, back-on-the-line outside, or stroke-and-distance, you must still follow Rule 12.2b(1) — no touching sand, no testing conditions, no grounding your club.

The rule in plain English

Rule 12.2b(3) says the moment you lift your ball from a bunker to take relief under any Rule — unplayable ball, abnormal course condition, whatever — the bunker restrictions stick with you until you actually pick a relief option and drop. You're still "in the bunker" for Rule purposes even though the ball is in your pocket. That means you can't touch the sand with your hand or club, you can't test the condition of the sand, and you can't remove loose impediments or movable obstructions if doing so would improve conditions affecting your stroke. The only thing that changes is you're allowed to clean the ball.

What you can do while deciding

You can walk around the bunker, check your options, measure relief areas, and even probe with a tee to find a drain or tree root — as long as you're not improving conditions for your stroke. Interpretation 12.2b/2 confirms probing is fine anywhere on the course, bunker included, provided that's not your real aim. You can also remove loose impediments and movable obstructions under Rule 12.2a, and if sand moves incidentally while you're doing it reasonably, there's no penalty (Interpretation 12.2a/1). Just don't use it as an excuse to groom your lie.

When the restrictions end

The restrictions lift the moment you commit to a relief option. If you drop in the bunker under Rule 19.2b or 16.1c, you're back to normal bunker play. If you take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker (Rule 19.2b, two penalty strokes) or go back to the tee (stroke and distance), you're out of the bunker entirely and the restrictions vanish. Key point: you don't have to announce your choice formally. Dropping the ball in a relief area is the act that locks it in. Until then, treat yourself as still in the bunker.

Exceptions that change the answer

• Your ball lies on or near a mound of sand from an animal hole in the bunker → Rule 12.2b(1) restrictions apply to touching that mound, but you may take free relief from the animal hole under Rule 16.1c (Interpretation 12.2b/1).
• You're removing a loose impediment or movable obstruction and sand moves incidentally → No penalty if your actions were reasonable, even if conditions affecting the stroke improve (Interpretation 12.2a/1).

Frequently asked questions

Can I touch the sand with my club while deciding on relief?

No. Until you drop in a relief area, Rule 12.2b(1) still applies — grounding your club in the sand is a two-stroke penalty.

Can I rake footprints before choosing my relief option?

Only if you're doing it to care for the course and not to improve conditions for your stroke. But the safe play: wait until after you've dropped.

What if I start to take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker but change my mind?

Once you drop the ball in the relief area, you've committed. You can't pick it up and switch to a different option without penalty.

Does this apply if I'm taking relief from an abnormal course condition in the bunker?

Yes. Rule 16.1c relief from abnormal course conditions in a bunker triggers the same restrictions until you drop.

Can I clean my ball after lifting it from the bunker?

Yes. Rule 14.1c allows cleaning a lifted ball, and that's the one thing that changes while you're deciding.