Sand trap

[challengegolf]

I have a quick question as I got called on that rule in our course championship and depending on who I talk about it , I get different answers.
If my ball lands in a sand trap I know that my club can't touch the sand but my question is if there is a rock or a pine cone next to my ball am I allowed removing the said objects making sure that I don't touch my ball and that my ball does not move.
Some people say yes based on the fact that you can do it anywhere else on the course and some say no which makes no sence to me because I am verry carefull to not touch my ball or move it by accident.
So what is the right call as I moved the obstacle in our course championship and one of the older person that was in my foursome yelled at me and told me to take a 2 stroke penalty which I took without arguing since I did not know that particular rule. At the end it did not make a difference in my standing (did not win by at least 20 shots) but since then it has always bothered me to not be sure about that rule.
Thanks

[covanant]

Im no expert,but does that not fall under the loose impediment rule?

[LobWedge]

Sorry challengegolf, there's no such thing as a loose impediment when your ball and the object are in the same hazard. Rule 23-1

You can play it as it lies or declare it unplayable (except in a water hazard) and proceed under Rule 28.

[BC MIST]

Sorry challengegolf, there's no such thing as a loose impediment when your ball and the object are in the same hazard. Rule 23-1

You can play it as it lies or declare it unplayable (except in a water hazard) and proceed under Rule 28.

The Rules of Golf allow a rock in a sand trap to be removed ONLY if the committee at the club has established this as a local rule. This is found in Appendix I, 4. The local rule would read, "Stones in bunkers are movable obstructions."(24-1) Without this local rule being in place, you cannot move the rock and you would have been penalized. It is obviously done for safety reasons.

If you also moved the pine cone, however, you are toast regardless of whether the rock rule was in place. Anything natural,that is, leaves, sticks, goose poop, etc., is untouchable.

[Gary Hill]

What is a sand trap?

[LobWedge]

What is a sand trap?

Something that my ball lands in way too often.

[BC MIST]

What is a sand trap?

It was "challengegolf's" euphemism for a bunker. euphemism: a mild or agreeable expression substituted for a realistic description of something disagreeable

Other examples might include, lake, creek, stream, medal play opponent, match play fellow competitor, dirt road, albatross, snowman, Benny, rock in a bunker, tee, green, fairway, rough, fescue, bench, flag, "that's good," ground hog hole, bag toter, puddle, spectator, cup, line of flight, ball marker, shot, and so on.

[Kilroy]