RULES 101
position if it’s virtually known that it
has been caused.
However, if the ball in motion hits
another ball at rest on the putting
green and both balls were on the
putting green before the stroke, the
player gets the general penalty (two
strokes), Rule 11.1a.
If a ball in motion accidentally hits
any person or outside influence, the
ball must be played as it lies except
when the ball that was played from
outside the putting green comes
TO REST on any person, animal or
moving outside influence in which
case the player must drop the
original ball or another ball at the
point or as near as possible to where
the ball came to rest on the person,
animal or moving outside influence.
If a ball played from the putting
green accidentally hits a person,
animal or movable obstruction
including another ball in motion also
on the putting green, the stroke
does not count and the original ball
or another ball must be replaced on
its original spot which if not known
must be estimated and replayed.
Rule 14.2
MISCONCEPTION 4. That a
flagstick cannot be attended while
still in the hole.....YES IT CAN BE
ATTENDED, Rule 13.2b.
The decision to have the flagstick
in the hole must be made BEFORE
the stroke is made by either leaving
the flagstick in the hole or having
a removed flagstick put back, Rule
13.2a. If the flagstick is put back
in the hole while the ball has been
struck or is in motion, the player
incurs a GENERAL PENALTY or
LOSES THE HOLE in matchplay.
The flagstick must always be placed
in the middle of the hole and a
player must not gain an advantage
by deliberately having the flagstick
placed in a position other than in
the middle of the hole and the ball
in motion strikes it, the player gets
the general penalty or loss of hole in
matchplay.
A player may have the flagstick
attended or held up when his or her
ball is anywhere on the course. This
rule on the flagstick was changed
to allow playing from anywhere
including on the putting green while
the flagstick is still in the hole, and
striking it without penalty. Ideally,
this was meant to speed up the
game. The discretion of having it
attended while still in the hole is the
player’s but the ball should not strike
the attended flagstick. If it does, a
general penalty applies, Rule 13.2.
TIP:
A general penalty in strokeplay is
the equivalent of loss of hole in
matchplay, otherwise a one stroke
penalty applies in both strokeplay
and matchplay.