Whether to leave the flagstick in or take it out used to be a penalty minefield. Since January 2019, the rules simplified dramatically — and now you have full freedom of choice with no penalty for hitting the stick.
| Choice | Penalty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leave flagstick unattended in the hole | No penalty | Allowed since 2019 under Rule 13.2. Even if the ball hits the stick, no penalty applies. Many golfers leave it in for longer putts. |
| Remove flagstick before putting | No penalty | The traditional choice. Ask your caddie or playing partner to pull the flag, or do it yourself before you address the ball. |
| Have flagstick tended (held then removed) | No penalty (if removed correctly) | A player, caddie, or partner holds the flag while you putt and removes it before the ball reaches the hole. The flag must actually be removed — failing to remove it is a penalty. |
| Ball hits unattended flagstick in the hole | No penalty | Since 2019, there is no penalty for hitting an unattended flagstick. Before 2019, this was a 2-stroke penalty in stroke play. Play the ball as it lies. |
| Ball hits a tended flagstick that was NOT removed | Penalty (2 strokes / loss of hole) | If someone is tending the flagstick and fails to remove it before the ball reaches the hole, and the ball hits it, the player whose ball it is incurs the penalty under Rule 13.2b. |
Under Rule 13.2 (since January 2019), you have three choices: putt with the flagstick standing unattended in the hole, have someone remove it before you putt, or have it tended and removed as your ball rolls toward the hole. All three are legal — it is purely your preference. Many players leave it in on long lag putts and take it out for short ones where the stick would clutter their vision.
No announcement required. Simply leave the flag in and stroke your putt. If your ball rolls into the flagstick, it stays wherever it ends up — no penalty. Studies suggest the stick can act like a backboard on firm-paced putts, reducing run-outs, but the effect is small. This is the fastest option and the one that keeps pace of play moving.
Ask your caddie or a fellow player to tend the flag. The person holding it must remove it before the ball reaches the hole. If they fail to remove it and the ball strikes it, there is a 2-stroke penalty (stroke play) or loss of hole (match play) for you, the player. The tender does not receive the penalty — you do, because it is your responsibility to ensure proper tending.
Your ball is "holed" if any part of it is below the level of the putting green surface (the lip of the hole). Remove the flagstick. If the ball drops in as you remove it, you are holed. If the ball sits on the lip but does not drop in when you remove the stick, it is not holed — you have one more putt. This rule is under Rule 13.2c.
Once your ball is in motion, do not move, bend, or remove the flagstick to influence the ball's path, other than to complete an authorized removal that was already in progress. Similarly, do not deliberately rattle the cup, stomp near the hole, or use the flagstick to stop the ball from going past. Any deliberate attempt to influence a ball in motion is a serious penalty.
Yes — since 2019, this is completely legal under Rule 13.2. There is no penalty for leaving the flagstick unattended in the hole while you putt, even if the ball strikes it. Before 2019, hitting an unattended flagstick on the green was a 2-stroke penalty in stroke play. That rule was removed to speed up play and because evidence showed it was often advantageous to leave the flag in anyway.
Modestly, yes — particularly on longer putts. Research shows the flagstick can act as a backboard, preventing balls that would otherwise run a foot or two past from doing so. For short putts under 5 feet, many players remove it because the stick can block their view or cause the ball to rattle and stay out. It ultimately comes down to personal preference and your comfort level.
Anyone in your group — a fellow player, a partner, or a caddie. In stroke play, another golfer's caddie can tend your flag if they agree to. On tour, caddies routinely tend flags for players in their group. The key requirement is that whoever is tending must remove the flagstick before the ball reaches the hole. Do not ask a player from a different group or a course employee who is not in your group.
If the person tending the flagstick fails to remove it before the ball reaches the hole and the ball strikes it, the player whose ball was putted receives a penalty — 2 strokes in stroke play, loss of hole in match play (Rule 13.2b(2)). The person who was tending does not receive the penalty. You can avoid this penalty by asking the tender in advance to make sure they pull the flag early.
It depends on the ball's position. If any part of the ball is below the level of the lip of the hole, you may remove the flagstick and the ball is holed. If the ball is sitting on the rim entirely above the lip and falls in when you remove the stick, it is still holed. If the ball was entirely above the lip AND does not drop in when you remove the stick, you must play it from its resting position — it is not yet holed (Rule 13.2c).
Yes. The 2019 rule change covers all situations where you are playing toward the hole, not just from on the green. Whether you are chipping from the rough, putting from the fringe, or using a putter from off the green, you are free to leave the flagstick in. The same no-penalty rule for hitting it applies regardless of where you played your stroke from.
No penalty for the flagstick falling. Play the ball as it comes to rest. Do not try to stand the flagstick back up while the ball is in motion — intentionally interfering with a moving ball can be a serious breach. Simply let the ball come to rest, then re-place the flagstick and continue. If the fallen flagstick stops or deflects the ball, play it where it ends up.
No — the flagstick in the hole is not a movable obstruction for shots toward the hole. You cannot move it from the hole to improve your stance, lie, or line of play. You may only remove it under Rule 13.2 (to putt without it), have it tended, or leave it as is. However, if the flagstick has been removed and is lying on the ground nearby, it IS a movable obstruction and you may move it.
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