Dear Linda:
With my ball lying on the fringe, I asked for the flag to be
removed. I then changed my plan, from hitting a putt to trying a 7-iron chip. I
should have stuck to my original plan as I then thinned my shot and hit the
flagstick that was lying on the green. Could you please help resolve the
penalty situation and then advise whether the ruling would be different if the
flagstick had been laid down on the fringe, not on the green?
Thanks again for the way you so-excellently help confused
golfers everywhere.
Lou from England
Dear Lou,
The penalty for hitting a removed flagstick is two strokes
(loss of hole in match play). This ruling is the same regardless of whether
your ball was on or off the green when you hit it, and is the same regardless
of whether the flagstick is placed on or off the green after it is removed from
the hole [Rule 17-3].
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
