Most likely not, when you are playing a bunker shot, the idea is to hit the sand around 4-5 inches before the ball, and allow the ball to have a cushion of sand when the club passes it, this will allow it to go straight up in the air, come down and stop easily on the green.
However you may decide to hit the ball first, this is a lot more unreliable shot and it is very easy to lose control of the ball and hit it thin.
Yes, you may do so, the key distinction that you have made in the question is the ball 'out' of the bunker. If the ball is still in the bunker you would be penalised two shots for grounding a club in a hazard. If the ball is no longer in the bunker you are in you may ground the club, but be aware, there is really no need to.
One stroke penalty and you must play the ball as it lies.
No, you are not allowed to do so, you must not rake the bunker or smooth sand over with your feet, as this is deemed to be improved your stance or testing the ground conditions. You will get a two shot penalty for testing, if you do so.
When you play a shot from a bunker and hit it out of bounds, you clearly have to replay your shot. But the rules stipulate that the conditions of the previous shot must be recreated. So if you played from sand which was raked, you would rake the sand and place the ball as close to where the last shot was played from in the last shot. If you were in a footprint you would have to make a footprint and place your ball in it, and if you were in a divot, you would make a divot and place the ball in it.
A golfer can use any club from a bunker really. But in green side bunkers there are two clubs that are mainly used are a sandwedge and lob wedge. It really comes down to personal preference, length of shot, lie and height of bunker lip to which club is selected. Sandwedges are 54- 56 degree and lob wedges are 58-60 degree, the loft helps get the ball up in the air quickly. Wedges also have bounce, this prevents them from digging and also helps get the ball up quickly.
'Explosion' refers to a certain type of shot played out of a sand trap. An explosion shot is done by striking the sand behind the ball, rather than the ball itself; the sand 'explodes' out of the bunker and carries the ball with it.
No, because this is viewed as testing, for which you would be given a penalty.
No player can touch the ball whilst another is holding it, if they do it is contact on the ball and a penalty pass, pass/shot is given.
Get into the bunker, play their shot then rake the bunker as they are leaving.
If it is the tee shot and this happens, there is no penalty and you can simply replace the ball, and you are still hitting your first shot. If it is a putt or pitch or an approach and you hit the ball accidentally there is a one shot penalty and the ball must be replaced. If it is not replaced and you finish out the hole you will be disqualified for not replacing the ball.
Yes, absolutely. Each bunker is considered an individual hazard, not a collective hazard of bunkers. If you play out of one bunker and land in another, you may rake the one you have just played from. Note, there is a common misconception that if you are in a bunker and rake footprints before you play your shot you are penalised, this is not the case, you are only penalised if you improve the lie of the ball, your stance or test ground conditions.
When you are in a bunker you really cannot touch the surface in away prior to your shot. But as long as the local rule permits you may remove objects such as stones as this would be a considerable hindrance in your shot. You may not however remove leafs or cigarette ends, unless the local rule permits it.