Ball resting against flagstick with part below surface — is it holed?

Yes, it's holed. If your ball comes to rest against the flagstick left in the hole and any part of the ball is below the surface of the putting green, the ball is treated as holed under Rule 13.2c. No need to do anything else — just pick it out.

Key distinction: This is different from a ball that hits the flagstick and bounces away — that's covered under the general flagstick rule (Rule 13.2a). Here, the ball has come to rest against the flagstick, and the specific "below the surface" test in Rule 13.2c applies.

What the rule says

Rule 13.2c is straightforward: when the flagstick is left in the hole and your ball comes to rest against it, if any part of the ball is below the surface of the putting green, the ball is holed. That's it. The ball doesn't have to be completely underground — just a fraction below the level of the green counts. You don't have to wait for it to drop, you don't have to tap it in, and you certainly don't have to pull the flagstick to check.

What to do in practice

Walk up, confirm that part of the ball is below the surface, and remove it. That's your hole completed. If you're not sure whether it's below the surface, you can mark and lift the ball to check — but if it was below, it was already holed the moment it came to rest. Putting it back changes nothing. The only time you'd need to replace it is if you lifted it without marking first, which would be a one-stroke penalty under Rule 14.1a, but the ball was still holed.

Common confusion

Some players think the ball has to be completely below the surface, or that you have to pull the flagstick and let it fall. Neither is true. Others worry that if the ball is wedged against the flagstick and not touching the bottom of the cup, it doesn't count. It does — the rule only cares about the ball's position relative to the surface of the green, not the bottom of the hole. And if the ball is above the surface (resting on top of the flagstick or against it but not breaking the plane), it's not holed yet — you'd need to remove the flagstick and let it drop.

Frequently asked questions

Does the ball have to be completely below the surface to count as holed?

No. Any part of the ball below the surface of the putting green means it's holed under Rule 13.2c. Even a sliver counts.

Do I have to remove the flagstick to let the ball fall to the bottom?

No. The ball is already holed the moment it comes to rest with part of it below the surface. You can just pick it out.

What if I'm not sure whether part of the ball is below the surface?

You may mark and lift the ball to check. If it was below the surface, it was already holed. Replace it on the original spot if you lifted it without marking (one-stroke penalty under Rule 14.1a), but the hole is still complete.

My ball is resting against the flagstick but not touching the bottom of the cup. Is it holed?

Yes, as long as part of the ball is below the surface of the green. The rule doesn't require the ball to touch the bottom of the hole.

What if the ball is resting on top of the flagstick, above the surface?

Then it's not holed. You'd need to remove the flagstick (or have it attended) and let the ball drop. If it falls in, it's holed; if it stays out, play it as it lies.