Rules of Golf Review: I carefully tried to pick up a rake but I accidentally moved my ball. Is that a penalty?
The Rules of Golf spell out what you need to do if your ball moves when you pick up a rake. But be aware: it's different that other similar situations
At the 2025 RBC Heritage, Justin Thomas was hit with a one-stroke penalty for accidentally moving his ball while trying to remove a loose impediment in a waste area on the second hole. It was a costly reminder that while you can remove loose impediments anywhere on the course including bunkers (that wasn't always the case), you better be careful when doing it or you risk the same fate as Thomas. Rule 15 covers what happens when your ball moves as a result of moving a loose impediment.
The proper procedure is to replace the ball in its original location and take a penalty stroke under Rule 9. 4b. Most golfers know this.
But if you keep reading Rule 15 , you'll find out things aren't so strict when it comes to accidentally causing your ball to move while removing an obstruction. There is a long list of man-made things that qualify as obstructions, including penalty-area stakes, sprinkler heads, golf carts, benches, ball washers—even golf equipment (belonging to anyone). Boundary objects, like OB stakes, are NOT obstructions.
And it's important to know the difference between an obstruction and a moveable obstruction. To keep it simple, if it's easy to move (like a rake), you should move it. If it's not easy to move (like a cement bench), you take relief so your next shot is not intefered with.