Question

A player's ball lies in the general area but a bunker is situated between the player's ball and the hole. Which one of the following is correct?

1) The player may remove loose impediments from the bunker and test the condition of the bunker to determine if it is feasible to putt through it.
2) The player may not remove loose impediments from the bunker but he or she may test the condition of the bunker to determine if it is feasible to putt through it.
3) The player may not remove loose impediments from the bunker and he or she may not test the condition of the bunker to determine if it is feasible to putt through it.

Answer 1

A player may not remove loose impediments from a bunker and may not test its condition to determine if it is feasible to putt through it.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a player's ball lies in the general area with a bunker situated between the ball and the hole, the player may not remove loose impediments from the bunker and may not test the condition of the bunker to determine if it is feasible to putt through it.

This rule is stated in the R&A Rules of Golf, where it is specified that a player is not allowed to touch the ground in the bunker with their hand or a club before making a stroke. This includes removing loose impediments and testing the condition of the bunker.

Therefore, option 3) The player may not remove loose impediments from the bunker and he or she may not test the condition of the bunker to determine if it is feasible to putt through it is correct.