Is it a penalty if your ball hits the flagstick?
By The Fairway Labs TeamReviewed
On the green
Penalty: None
Is it a penalty if your ball hits the flagstick?
PenaltyNone· under Rule 13
What to do
- 1Decide before your stroke whether to leave the flagstick in or take it out.
- 2Play your stroke — a ball hitting the flagstick is fine, with no penalty.
- 3If the ball rests against the flagstick, it counts as holed if any part is below the surface.
Based on the modern Rules of Golf (Rule 13), as published by the USGA and The R&A and effective from the 2019 revision. Local rules can modify some situations — check the scorecard or with the committee when in doubt.
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