Hi Linda,
What would the ruling be if your ball hits the flagstick and the person attending the flagstick while you putt is your partner? Should there not be a penalty, as his act could be construed as assisting you in placing the ball close to the hole? Please advise.
Best regards,
Lou from Johore, Malaysia
Dear Lou,
There is no penalty if the contact is accidental, and the ball must be played as it lies. Two examples of what would be considered accidental: (1) the flagstick is stuck in the hole; (2) the attendant is not paying attention.
If the partner deliberately stops or deflects the ball, the stroke does not count and the player will have to play again from where the previous putt was made. The player will get the general penalty (loss of hole in match play, two strokes in stroke play), since any action by the partner concerning the player’s ball is treated as action of the player [Rule 13.2b(2)].
Linda
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