The answer is in Rule 17-1 – Flagstick Attended, Removed or Held Up. ‘Before making a stroke from anywhere on the course, the player may have the flagstick attended, removed or held up to indicate the position of the hole’. Anywhere at all is the answer to the question, regardless of what club is in your hand or shot you are going to play.
Can you leave the flagstick in the hole in golf?
The 2019 edition of the Rules of Golf removed that old rule. Now, golfers can leave the flag in or take it out, whichever they prefer. The player may make a stroke with the flagstick left in the hole, so that it is possible for the ball in motion to hit the flagstick.
What happens if your ball hits the flagstick on the Green?
The Old Rule: Hitting the flagstick with your ball from on the green resulted in a two-stroke penalty. The New Rule: According to the USGA, under Rule 13.2a (2), “There will no longer be a penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits a flagstick left in the hole.”
Why did the USGA change the flagstick rule?
Why It Was Changed: The USGA cited its main reason for changing this rule as pace of play. “Allowing a player to putt with the flagstick in the hole without fear of penalty should generally help speed up play,” the organization posted on its website.
What does tending the flag mean in golf?
The term tending the flag refers to someone standing next to the flagstick and removing it from the cup once a player has struck their putt. A golfer can choose to play to the hole with the flag out or in, based on their preference. In years past, if a golfer played a stroke from the green to the cup with the flag still in, they faced a penalty.
When can you take the flag out in golf?
Once the person putting has made contact with the ball, then you can lift the flagstick out of the cup. Be sure to lift it straight up because it can become stuck otherwise, or you could pull out the liner. As the ball approaches the hole, walk away with the flagstick.
Why do some golfers leaving flag in when putting?
Kuchnicki's analysis revealed two conditions under which the flagstick should be kept in the hole: when the golfer is certain that the ball will contact the hole near the center of the flagstick, and when the golfer is uncertain how hard he or she should hit the putt.
Can you remove flag when off Green?
It's common practice once all golfers are on the putting green for someone in the group to ask, "Hey, anyone need the flag?" If the answer is no, the flagstick can be removed and set aside (place it off the green, out of the line of play).
Do you remove flag when putting?
The New Rule: According to the USGA, under Rule 13.2a(2), “There will no longer be a penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits a flagstick left in the hole.” Players will still have the option to remove the flagstick or to have someone tend the pin and remove it after the ball is struck.
Should you take the flag out when putting?
01 percent of the time. So that's the only time the flagstick will help a putt go in the hole that would not have gone in otherwise. The rest of the time—99.99 percent—the better play is to putt with the flagstick out of the hole.
What are the rules for putting on the green?
13.1 Actions Allowed or Required on Putting Greens. Purpose of Rule: This Rule allows the player to do things on the putting green that are normally not allowed off the putting green, such as being allowed to mark, lift, clean and replace a ball and to repair damage and remove sand and loose soil on the putting green.
What is the penalty for hitting the flagstick while putting?
There is normally no penalty if a ball in motion hits the flagstick. This Rule applies to a ball played from anywhere on the course. Continued), whether on or off the putting green. Continued).
Who is responsible for putting the flagstick back in the hole?
1. It's important to realise that if the flagstick is in the hole and anyone stands near it, they are deemed to be attending the flag (unless requested otherwise by the player concerned) and therefore responsible for it until the ball comes to rest.
What are caddies not allowed to do?
A caddie must not set an object down anywhere on or off the putting green to show the line of play. This is not allowed even if that object is removed before the stroke is made.
When did the PGA change the flagstick rule?
The issue of not touching the flagstick was an easy one for golfers: the USGA changes its rules at the beginning of 2019, allowing players to putt with the flagstick left in the hole. While most professional and high-caliber amateurs take the flagstick out, other accomplished players such as Adam Scott leave it in.
Leaving it in
You all know you can make a stroke with the flagstick in the hole, whether your ball is on or off the green, and the ball in motion can hit the flagstick, there’s no penalty and you play it as it lies.
Taking it out
Some like it in, some like it out. This is what happens when you opt for the latter under Rule 13.2b. Again, you decide before you make the stroke and either have it taken out or you authorise someone to attend it.
The ball is resting against the flagstick
Well, is it holed or isn’t it? It depends, but Rule 13.2c is pretty clear on the matter. If your ball comes to rest against a flagstick that is left in the hole and “any part of the ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green” then it is holed – even if the whole of the ball isn’t below that surface.
What is the purpose of a flag in golf?
The main purpose of the flag is to show golfers where the next hole is. Golf range finders often come equipped with a pin seeking feature that measures the distance from the range finder to the pin. This makes it easier to accurately gauge the distance, although experienced players can usually eyeball the flag and come up with a distance that’s ...
Who tends the flag in golf?
It’s important to know that if the flag is in the hole, the person that stands near it is going to be deemed as the person that will tend the flag unless another player requests the job. This means that the person standing closest to the flag will be responsible for it until a ball comes to rest.
What happens if you hit a flagstick in golf?
You can either remove the flagstick yourself for ask another player to hold it and remove it when you’re playing. During match play, if a player putts and their ball hits the stick when it’s in the hole, they will lose the hole.
Why are flags important in golf?
In golf, the flags are a very important part of the game. The flag is used to identify where a hole is placed. The flags extend up to several feet above the ground which allows a player on the course to easily locate the hole’s position on the green from hundreds of yards away.
When can you request flagstick tending?
A player can request tending of the flag when they’re attempting long putts. This is when a player may have difficulty seeing the hole from a long shot. Some players will also request flagstick tending when chipping off the green. The flag should be tended for another player if: A player requests it.
What happens if the ball pops out of the pin?
If the ball ends up falling into the hole it will count as in. If it pops out, it’s placed back on the lip and must be tapped for another stroke.
How to tend a flag?
When tending the flag, make sure that you’re not standing directly behind the cup. Instead, move to the side. When you take the flagstick out it’s important that you place it at a point where it’s not going to interfere with the line of a shot. Not doing this can result in penalties.
Why do golfers leave the flagstick in?
The USGA made the change to help speed up play, but some tour players are leaving the flagstick in because they believe it helps them make more putts.
How does a flagstick bend in golf?
WIND ADVISORY. In strong winds, the flagstick can bend, creating more space on one half of the hole and less on the other. In tests, that change opened up one side of the hole by an eighth of an inch—or the size of a golf-ball dimple.
What are the different types of flagsticks used in golf?
Putts rolling just off-center and 4½ feet beyond the hole were tested with three flagsticks: fiberglass (the one played most often on the PGA Tour), tapered aluminum and multi-diamater aluminum . All measured approximately one-half inch in diameter at green level. Fiberglass , the lightest, had the least negative results with 61 percent made, followed by multi-diameter (38 percent) and then tapered (36 percent). Each was worse than no flagstick (90 percent).
How far past the hole do you have to go to putts?
Flagstick in or not, all putts aimed for dead-center went in, even at speeds rolling eight feet past the hole. At nine to 12 feet past, almost all putts missed without a flagstick in. Almost all were made with flagsticks in (fiberglass, tapered).
What is the three putt factor?
THREE-PUTT FACTOR. Keeping the flagstick in can help avoid three-putts. The flagstick kills much of the ball's velocity on a putt hit too hard, even a glancing blow. That leaves a shorter second putt—assuming the putt hits that half-inch-wide flagstick.
How far should a golfer strike the flagstick?
Based on probability and standard deviation calculations and PGA Tour statistics, the best tour players would strike the flagstick dead-center from 20 to 25 feet about 3.3 percent of the time. If you assume the best pros would rarely roll their first putt nine feet past the hole —perhaps one in a thousand times—that would make leaving the flagstick in a benefit on only .0033 percent of all putts from 20 to 25 feet. And that's for the best pros. For a typical amateur, those percentages are much worse.
How far from the hole does a putt finish?
In both situations, the average putt finished about two feet from the hole. Another point to consider: Because putting with the flagstick in is different, its presence could be physically and mentally distracting to your pre-putt routine.
Can you leave the flag in golf?
Not anymore. The 2019 edition of the Rules of Golf removed that old rule. Now, golfers can leave the flag in or take it out, whichever they prefer.
Can you hole a stroke from the putting green?
For as long as golfers alive today can remember, one of the rules of golf was that you could not hole a stroke played from the putting green while the flagstick was still in the cup. To put it another way: The flagstick had to be removed from the cup before your ball fell in for any stroke played from the green.
Do You Have to Remove the Flagstick Before Putting?
The flagstick stands in the hole. Do you have to take that flagstick out before you putt? Or, at least, have someone tend the flag and remove it before your ball reaches the cup?
Why was the flagstick rule changed?
Because most golfers don’t play with caddies, the process of taking the flagstick out to putt out can delay play , and the USGA added that it does not anticipate the rule resulting in a scoring advantage.
What does it mean to leave a flagstick in?
Leaving the flagstick in means you can ram in some short putts, taking break and doubt out of them. (But be careful — one firmly-struck missed putt can zip by!) Where this rule can more reliably help you is in pace of play. No longer do you have to feel a twinge of guilt for tapping in without first removing the pin.
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What is the new rule for putting greens?
The New Rule: According to the USGA, under Rule 13.2a (2), “There will no longer be a penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits a flagstick left in the hole.” Players will still have the option to remove the flagstick or to have someone tend the pin and remove it after the ball is struck.
What is the penalty for hitting a flagstick?
The Old Rule: Hitting the flagstick with your ball from on the green resulted in a two-stroke penalty. The New Rule: According to the USGA, under Rule 13.2a (2), “There will no longer be a penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits a flagstick left in the hole.”.
Who sees the pin as a helpful ally?
Bryson DeChambeau sees the pin as a helpful ally.
Can you putt with a pin in golf?
Yes, as far as these things go. It already has been controversial! The headlines thus far have come from Bryson DeChambeau, who announced to GOLF.com last month that he intends to putt with the pin in. “It depends on the COR, the coefficient of restitution of the flagstick,” he said.
Golf Range Finder Use and Pin Seeking Technology
Flag Etiquette
Requesting That The Flag Be Tended
- It’s perfectly fine for the flagstick to be tended to for any type of shot at any location on the course. A player can request tending of the flag when they’re attempting long putts. This is when a player may have difficulty seeing the hole from a long shot. Some players will also request flagstick tending when chipping off the green. The flag should be tended for another player if: 1. …
Tending The Flag
- If you’re the one that’s tending the flag, make sure that you approach it, remove it and stand it at arm’s length. Keep different players putting lines in mine, ensuring that you’re not standing in anyone’s putting line or walking across it. Keep quiet and still in order to avoid distracting another player. Make sure you lift the pin straight up and avoid pulling it toward you or bending it. This is …
Important Flag Rules
- It’s important to know that if the flag is in the hole, the person that stands near it is going to be deemed as the person that will tend the flag unless another player requests the job. This means that the person standing closest to the flag will be responsible for it until a ball comes to rest. 1. A golfer can request that the flagstick be remove...
Color-Coding and Difficulty Level
- In golf, the flags are a very important part of the game. The flag is used to identify where a hole is placed. The flags extend up to several feet above the ground which allows a player on the course to easily locate the hole’s position on the green from hundreds of yards away. The color of the flag sends a message, telling the player in the tee box or in the fairway the relative location of the fla…
Final Thoughts
- For new players, learning the ropes of the game can be very challenging. Hopefully, this article has helped to clear up some common misconceptions when it comes to tending the flag in golf properly. While some of these rules may seem unfair or even a little ridiculous, there’s a reason for everything when it comes to the golf rules and how the game is played. Whether you’re a low ha…