Hi Linda,
Here's a question that had two golf professionals
and several rules aficionados stumped - although they all said they have had it
happen to them.
I am putting from off the green in a stroke play tournament.
I have decided that I will leave the flagstick in the hole, because it's a
little downhill slider. I have not asked anyone to attend the flagstick
(because I want it left in the hole), nor have I told anyone that I want the
flagstick left in the hole. As my putt is tracking to the hole and without my
asking, one of my competitors rushes to the hole to pull the flagstick
before my ball can hit it. The ball rolls directly over the hole and keeps
going. If the flagstick had been left in the hole, it would surely have hit the
stick. I believe this should be a penalty for the competitor who pulled the
flagstick without my permission or request. Someone else thought it was my
penalty for not letting my competitors know that I wanted the flagstick left in
the hole.
What's the correct ruling and the authority? Thanks!
Lulu from Florida
Dear Lulu,
If all these golf professionals and rules aficionados would
open the rulebook, they would find the answer right in Rule 17, “The
Flagstick.” Rule 17-2 states quite plainly that an opponent (match play) or
fellow competitor (stroke play) who attends or removes the flagstick without the
player’s knowledge or permission, while the ball is in motion, is penalize two
strokes (loss of hole in match play) if doing so might influence the movement
of the ball.
Since your ball passed directly over the hole, removing the
flagstick clearly influenced the movement of your ball. You are correct in
thinking that the fellow competitor who removed the flagstick should incur a
penalty.
It is customary to make a request whenever you want the
flagstick attended. You are under no obligation to inform your fellow
competitors that you do not want the flagstick attended.
However, if you would like to save everyone from a possible
argument ending in an unexpected penalty, it would be prudent to remark as you
prepare to putt from off the green that you do not want the flagstick attended.
Such a courtesy comes under my heading of “preventive umpiring.”
Linda
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