If a player's ball rests against a rake and, after removing the rake, the ball rolls into an adjacent bunker, what should be done?

If a player's ball rests against a rake and, after removing the rake, the ball rolls into an adjacent bunker, what should be done?

• A. Play the ball as it lies in the bunker
• B. Take relief from the bunker without penalty
• C. Replace the ball in its original position
• D. Move to drop one club-length from the original position

Answer: (C)

If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, you must replace it to its original position without penalty. In this situation, the rake acted as the outside agency; after you remove it, the ball was moved from where it lay against the rake and ends up in an adjacent bunker. The correct action is to replace the ball in its original spot (where it was resting against the rake) and continue play. Other options aren’t correct because the ball’s move was caused by removing the rake, not by playing from the new location or taking bunker relief, and you don’t drop the ball or play it as it lies in the bunker.

If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, you must replace it to its original position without penalty. In this situation, the rake acted as the outside agency; after you remove it, the ball was moved from where it lay against the rake and ends up in an adjacent bunker. The correct action is to replace the ball in its original spot (where it was resting against the rake) and continue play.

Other options aren’t correct because the ball’s move was caused by removing the rake, not by playing from the new location or taking bunker relief, and you don’t drop the ball or play it as it lies in the bunker.