Rule 17. The Flagstick
Definitions
All defined terms are in italics and are listed alphabetically in
the Definitions section — see pages 5-18.
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.
If the flagstick is not attended, removed or held up before the
player makes a stroke, it must not be attended, removed or held
up during the stroke or while the player’s ball is in motion if
doing so might influence the movement of the ball.
Note 1: If the flagstick is in the hole and anyone stands near it
while a stroke is being made, he is deemed to be attending the
flagstick.
Note 2: If, prior to the stroke, the flagstick is attended, removed or
held up by anyone with the player’s knowledge and he makes
no objection, the player is deemed to have authorized it.
Note 3: If anyone attends or holds up the flagstick while a stroke
is being made, he is deemed to be attending the flagstick until
the ball comes to rest.
(Moving attended, removed or held up flagstick while ball in
motion — see Rule 24-1.)
17-2. Unauthorized Attendance
If an opponent or his caddie in match play or a fellow-competitor
or his caddie in stroke play, without the player’s authority
or prior knowledge, attends, removes or holds up the
Rule 17 55
flagstick during the stroke or while the ball is in motion, and
the act might influence the movement of the ball, the opponent
or fellow-competitor incurs the applicable penalty.
*Penalty for Breach of Rule 17-1 or 17-2:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes.
*In stroke play, if a breach of Rule 17-2 occurs and the competitor’s
ball subsequently strikes the flagstick, the person attending
or holding it or anything carried by him, the competitor incurs
no penalty. The ball is played as it lies, except that if the stroke
was made on the putting green, the stroke is canceled and the
ball must be replaced and replayed.
17-3. Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant
The player’s ball must not strike:
a. The flagstick when it is attended, removed or held up;
b. The person attending or holding up the flagstick or anything
carried by him; or
c. The flagstick in the hole, unattended, when the stroke has
been made on the putting green.
Exception: When the flagstick is attended, removed or held up
without the player’s authority — see Rule 17-2.
Penalty for Breach of Rule 17-3:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes and the
ball must be played as it lies.
17-4. Ball Resting Against Flagstick
When a player’s ball rests against the flagstick in the hole and
the ball is not holed, the player or another person authorized
by him may move or remove the flagstick, and if the ball falls
into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with his
last stroke; otherwise, the ball, if moved, must be placed on the
lip of the hole, without penalty.
