What happens if your ball hits the flagstick?
No, there is no penalty if your ball hits the flagstick — whether it's in the hole, being attended, or lying on the ground. Since the 2019 rule change under Rule 13.2, you simply play the ball from where it comes to rest.
The situation
Your putt or chip rolls toward the hole and strikes the flagstick — either left in the hole, being held by an attendant, or lying on the ground nearby.
The rule
Since the 2019 rule change, hitting the flagstick carries no penalty in virtually all situations under Rule 13.2. If the flagstick is in the hole (attended or unattended) and your ball hits it, no penalty — play from where the ball ends up. This reversed the old rule where putting from the green and hitting an unattended flagstick was a 2-stroke penalty. The only edge case: if you or your caddie deliberately positioned the flagstick to act as a backstop for your shot, that could be considered cheating under Rule 1.2 — but for all normal on-course play, hitting the flagstick is simply part of the game.
Real example
You leave the flag in on a long putt. The ball rolls the length of the green and clangs off the flagstick, dropping into the hole. No penalty — that counts. Or it hits the flag and bounces away from the hole. No penalty — play it from where it stopped.
What to do on the course
- No action needed — play the ball from where it comes to rest
- Leaving the flag in is a valid strategic choice, especially for long putts or chip shots
- If you asked for the flag to be attended and it was not removed in time: still no penalty, play from where ball ends up
- The old "2-stroke penalty for hitting flag on the green" no longer exists
Penalty
No penalty. Play the ball from where it comes to rest.
Keep reading: provisional ball · penalty area
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my putt hits the flagstick left in the hole?
No penalty at all. The ball is played from where it ends up, even if it bounces off the flagstick and drops in the hole or ricochets away. If the ball comes to rest against the flagstick with any part below the surface of the green, it's holed — see ball resting against flagstick with part below surface.
Is there still a 2-stroke penalty for hitting the flagstick on the green?
That rule was removed in 2019. Under current Rule 13.2, hitting the flagstick from anywhere on the course carries no penalty.
What if the flagstick is being attended and my ball hits it?
Still no penalty. Whether attended or unattended, in the hole or on the ground, the flagstick is treated the same — play the ball as it lies. (If you're unsure whether you've authorized someone to attend the flagstick, see when am I considered to have authorized someone to attend the flagstick?.)
Can I leave the flagstick in deliberately to help my putt?
Yes, leaving the flag in is a legal strategic choice. Only if you or your caddie deliberately positioned it as a backstop could it breach Rule 1.2, but normal play is fine.
What if I asked for the flag to be removed but it wasn't taken out in time?
No penalty either way. If the ball hits the flagstick that should have been removed, you still play from where the ball stops with no penalty.
What if the flagstick is leaning or stuck and my ball hits it?
Still no penalty. A leaning or stuck flagstick is treated the same as one standing straight — play the ball from where it comes to rest under Rule 13.2.
Does this rule apply in match play as well as stroke play?
Yes, Rule 13.2 applies in both match play and stroke play. Hitting the flagstick carries no penalty in either format.
What if my ball hits the flagstick and then hits another ball on the green?
No penalty for hitting the flagstick. If your ball then hits another ball at rest on the green, you play your ball as it lies and the other ball is replaced (Rule 11.1a).
Can I putt with the flagstick lying on the green instead of in the hole?
Yes. A flagstick lying on the ground is treated the same as one in the hole — no penalty if your ball hits it, play from where it stops.