Yes.

From the rules of golf:

"Except as provided in the Rules, before making a stroke at a ball that is in a hazard (whether a bunker or a water hazard) or that, having been lifted from a hazard, may be dropped or placed in the hazard, the player must not:
a. Test the condition of the hazard or any similar hazard;
b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club; or
c. Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard.
Exceptions:

1. Provided nothing is done that constitutes testing the condition of the hazard or improves the lie of the ball, there is no penalty if the player (a) touches the ground in any hazard or water in a water hazard as a result of or to prevent falling, in removing an obstruction, in measuring or in retrieving, lifting, placing or replacing a ball under any Rule or (b) places his clubs in a hazard.
2. After making the stroke, the player or his caddie may smooth sand or soil in the hazard, provided that, if the ball is still in the hazard or has been lifted from the hazard and may be dropped or placed in the hazard, nothing is done that improves the lie of the ball or assists the player in his subsequent play of the hole.

This is where your situation is stated--------------->
Note: At any time, including at address or in the backward movement for the stroke, the player may touch with a club or otherwise any obstruction, any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course or any grass, bush, tree or other growing thing.
-------------------------------------------------------------->
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.


I can't tell you how namy times I fight my match play opponent about this rule. They always think that it is a 2 stroke penalty in match play. I lay 6 and they lay 3, and I catch them grounding the club in the backswing. I call them on it and they conseed, but only to the 2 strokes. "Ok, I lay 5." I say, "No, you loose the hole." Then the book comes out and they get all pissed off. In friendly matches, I don't even call it because I know what will happen. But in competition, it has to be done. You decide if the friendship is worth the hole.

Not sure I understand. According to your statement: "This is where your situation is stated--------------->
Note: At any time, including at address or in the backward movement for the stroke, the player may touch with a club or otherwise any obstruction, any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course or any grass, bush, tree or other growing thing." Says MAY TOUCH should the word NOT be in there somewhere? Also, I read where a ball plugged up under the lip of the bunker (grassy lip) and the player was allowed to drop the ball ... the lip was not considered part of the bunker. THus, if you are in the bunker and during your swing, touch an object outside the bunker, is this a stroke?

Thank you for your help.

mel

You are correct, I missread the NOTE section being where your situation was described.

But still, in my opinion, eventhough it is not stated directly, the lip of the bunker is still appart of the bunker. That would be considered grounding the club.

Thank you again. However, according to Golfbald "WHERE TO DROP FOR UNPLAYABLE LIE UNDER THE LIP OF A BUNKER"

"The Rules of Golf define a bunker as a hazard consisting of a prepared area of ground, often a hollow, from which the turf has been removed and filled with sand. Grass covered ground bordering or within the bunker is not a part of the bunker. The margin of the bunker extends vertically downwards, but not upwards. Furthermore, A ball is in the bunker when any part of it touches the bunker.

So, according to the rules, your ball is not in the bunker if it is under the concave lip of a bunker, as shown here."

If this is true for an imbedded ball ... why not for a backswing.

I am not trying to belabor the point ... just rying to learn the game.

mel