Grounding
Grounding is touching the ground or sand with the club before the shot — allowed in some situations, penalised in others.
Grounding mainly concerns the bunker. There you may neither touch the sand with the club directly in front of or behind the ball nor strike the ground on the backswing. Violations in stroke play cost two penalty strokes, in match play the loss of the hole. Grounding is allowed in the general area, however: on fairway and rough you may set the club down on the ground before the shot. In a penalty area touching the ground has also been allowed since the rules of 2019. Only the bunker remains the exception.
In practice the violation happens unconsciously. An example: your ball lies in a fairway bunker, you step in, take your stance and out of habit rest the wedge in the sand behind the ball — exactly as you would on the fairway. That is a rule violation, regardless of whether the touch brought you any advantage. The rule protects the difficulty of the bunker: if you were allowed to test the sand, you could explore its condition before the shot.
The typical mistake is mixing up the parts of the course. Setting the club down on the fairway is completely normal and even recommended because it gives you a feel for distance. In the bunker exactly the same movement is forbidden. Rule of thumb: as soon as sand is involved, the club stays in the air until the swing begins. If you are unsure, ask about the local rules at the club office before the round or read the rule notes on the scorecard.
FAQ
May I set the club down on the ground on the fairway before the shot?
Yes, on fairway and rough this is completely allowed and even sensible, because the ground contact gives you a feel for distance and alignment. Grounding is only forbidden in the bunker, where you may not touch the sand directly in front of or behind the ball. In a penalty area, grounding has also been allowed since the rules of 2019.
What happens if I accidentally touch the sand in the bunker?
That costs you two penalty strokes in stroke play, and in match play you lose the hole. It makes no difference whether the touch brought you an advantage or happened unintentionally — the rule applies regardless. So in sand the rule is always: the club stays in the air until the swing begins.
How do I avoid unconsciously grounding the club in the bunker?
The most common violation happens out of habit, because you make the same movement as on the fairway. Get used to a clear bunker routine: step in, take your stance, let the club hover, swing. If you are unsure, glance at the local rules before the round or ask at the club office.