There was a time not long ago when even the slightest misstep in a bunker could cost you a penalty stroke. Things like removing stones near your ball or touching the sand with a rake before playing your shot were strictly forbidden. Luckily, when the USGA and R&A got together to modernize the Rules of Golf in 2019, they decided to relax the rules involving bunkers to make them more user-friendly.

One of the nice changes made is that you’re now allowed to check beneath the surface of a bunker before playing a shot to make sure that you’re not about to slam your beautiful new sand wedge into a massive tree root or an old drain. It’s particularly relevant this time of year. The fall in many parts of the country brings weather conditions that cause more wear and tear to courses. And at some places maybe the maintence staff isn’t quite as large as it is in the summer, meaning the conditioning of some bunkers could be more ragged than at peak season.

Rule 8.1a and Clarification 8.1a/7 explain that it’s OK to probe underneath the surface of a bunker “with a tee or other object to see whether the club might strike a root, rock or obstruction below the surface of the ground when the stroke is made.”

More From Golf Digest Rules of Golf Yes, the ‘leaf rule’ is actually a real thing. Here’s what the rules say about it Rules Review Can you do that? Take our latest rules quiz and find out Rules What goes on inside the rules office at a major championship? We got a glimpse

The only caveat here is that you can’t go poking around if your motive is actually to test the condition of the sand. If you do that, you’re in violation of Rule 12.2b(1) and would take either loss of hole in match play or a two-stroke penalty in stroke play.

If you’re wondering about what to do if the only thing under a wisp of sand is the bunker’s liner, it can be treated as ground under repair—but only if it interferes with your ball or swing. If you’re standing on it, you don’t get relief.

MORE GOLF DIGEST RULES REVIEWS

What do I do if my ball just hit another ball on the green?

Can you chip a ball on the tee while waiting for the group ahead of you to play?

I hit myself with my own ball. Is that a penalty anymore?

What exactly is an embedded ball?

I hit a horrible shot. I’m way better off if I don’t find it. Can I just declare it lost?

When does the three-minute search time for a lost ball actually begin?

Does a ball have to be unplayable to declare it unplayable?

I accidentally hit my ball with a practice stroke … does it count?

I’m on the green. My opponent is not. Who’s away?

I bent my putter and it actually works better. Can I still use it?

Somebody just picked up my golf ball! Now what?

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com