Rules question · Rule 12.2b · Hard
Must drop back in the bunker: can I smooth it first?
Your shot from a bunker goes out of bounds. Taking stroke-and-distance relief, you must drop in the bunker again. May you smooth your footprints and the spot of your stroke first?
Answer
Yes, once the ball has left the bunker you may smooth it
Once your ball has left the bunker, you may touch and smooth the sand without penalty. This also applies if you then have to drop in the bunker again. If the ball stays in the bunker or rolls back into it, the restrictions apply again.