My Opponent Replaced The Flagstick Without Being Asked And It Deflected My Putt, Which Might Have Gone In. Was That Allowed?

You’re in a tight match – all square with just three holes to play. It’s been nip and tuck the entire way round and one telling blow at this stage could get you a crucial lead.

After two good shots to the heart of the par-4 16^th green, you have a putt to win the hole after your opponent has narrowly missed their birdie effort.

You’ve elected to have the flagstick taken out and your opponent is standing holding it, watching your birdie try.

You line up well and set the ball off on the ideal line.

It’s looking good, it’s looking like it will hit the middle of the cup. But just as it’s nearing the hole, your opponent decides to act. They replace the flagstick in the hole before the ball gets there. The ball hits it square on and is ricocheted away from the cup.

It might well have gone in had the flag not been replaced. What happens next? They’ve deliberately deflected your ball with the flagstick!

Firstly, you will probably have some choice words for your opponent. Mind not to say anything that could breach a code of conduct!

After you’ve told them about your dissatisfaction though, what do The Rules say?

Well, the ball has been deliberately deflected and Rule 11.2 applies. Under Rule 11.2b, your opponent gets the general penalty if they deliberately deflect or stop any ball in motion.

In match play, that means your opponent loses the hole. You’re one-up!

In stroke play, the player who deliberately stopped the ball would receive the general penalty of two strokes. The person whose ball has been deflected (if their stroke was made from the putting green) would replay their putt.

If a player’s deliberately deflected stroke was made from anywhere except the putting green, they would play their next shot from the estimated spot where the ball would have come to rest had it not been deflected.

Golf Rules Quiz