Raking a bunker after a player hits is one of the most visible things you do on the course. Every player in the group, and often other groups nearby, can see how you handle it. A well-raked bunker is a mark of a professional caddy. A poorly raked one — with footprints, ridges, and drag marks — is a mark of an amateur.

Here is the correct technique:

• Enter from the lowest point — Don’t climb over the lip. Enter the bunker from the flattest, lowest point to avoid slipping on steep sand faces and to minimize the disturbance to the sand surface before you begin raking.
• Handle the ball first — If the player’s ball is still in the bunker while you’re raking (this shouldn’t happen — they should play before you rake), do not disturb it. Wait until the shot is played.
• Fill deep footprints first — Use the back of the rake or your foot to gently fill in the deepest impressions before you begin the main raking pass. Trying to pull a rake over a deep footprint just moves sand instead of leveling it.
• Long, even strokes — Work systematically across the entire disturbed area with long, smooth strokes. Don’t scrub back and forth frantically — even pressure and consistent direction produces a smooth, natural-looking surface.
• No ridges or drag marks — The goal is a surface that looks as if it was freshly set — smooth, consistent texture, no parallel lines running through it. A few finishing strokes across your working direction at the end helps eliminate drag patterns.
• Rake placement — When you’re done, place the rake outside the bunker, flat on the ground, parallel to the hole. This is the standard position used at most courses. Some clubs have specific rake placement rules — ask the caddy master if unsure.
• Exit cleanly — Walk out the way you came in, from the low point, and smooth any remaining footprints behind you as you leave.