Tending the flag from off the green

Beaulieu · 31-01-2011 9:39am #1

Mickleson's caddy -Bones McKay- tended the flag for Phil whilest he was trying to hole out from 80-100 yds on the 18th at last night's PGA Farmers tournament in Torrey Pines.
I'm a bit confused here as I always thought that when you were off the green the flag had to either remain in or out but couldn't be tended. Similarily when putting on the green is it not the case that if you left the flag in the hole & your ball strikes it then its a (2?) shot penalty.
Comments welcome !!

stockdam · 31-01-2011 9:56am

Rule 17-1

Before making a stroke from anywhere on the course, the player may have the flagstick attended, removed or held up to indicate the position of the hole.

PhilipMarlowe · 31-01-2011 9:59am

You can have the flag attended at any time.
Rule 17-1
Before making a stroke from anywhere on the course, the player may have the flagstick attended, removed or held up to indicate the position of the hole....

Rule 17-3
The player’s ball must not strike:
...
c. The flagstick in the hole, unattended, when the stroke has been made on the putting green.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 17-3:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes and the ball must be played as it lies.

Beaulieu · 31-01-2011 10:06am

Thanks for clearing that up. I was on the verge of telephoning the US PGA Tour rules committee:D:D:D

ShriekingSheet · 31-01-2011 11:33am

Beaulieu wrote: »

Thanks for clearing that up. I was on the verge of telephoning the US PGA Tour rules committee:D:D:D

To be fair, you would have been correct in the past.

If memory serves, this rule was only changed a few years ago, prior to which you had to be on the green to have the flag tended.

ridonkulous · 31-01-2011 12:45pm

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

To be fair, you would have been correct in the past.

If memory serves, this rule was only changed a few years ago, prior to which you had to be on the green to have the flag tended.

I dunno about that. If memory serves me right in one scene in "The Legend of Bagger Vance" a player has the flag attended while playing a shot in. And Hollywood wouldn't get things like this wrong!!!:D

PhilipMarlowe · 31-01-2011 1:20pm

Didn't you used to be able to leave the flag in while putting on the green also?
Think I saw Arnold Palmer on a colour TV clip holing a putt (on the green) while the flag was left in the hole.??

ShriekingSheet · 31-01-2011 1:26pm

Licksy wrote: »

Didn't you used to be able to leave the flag in while putting on the green also?
Think I saw Arnold Palmer on a colour TV clip holing a putt (on the green) while the flag was left in the hole.??

Quick. Ring the PGA. We can get him disqualified.

DH2K9 · 31-01-2011 4:44pm

So even when you're chipping you can have it tended:eek::eek:

f22 · 31-01-2011 5:10pm

This will open the floodgates for hackers all over the country having the flag tended for all 120 shots per round!

sector · 31-01-2011 8:03pm

DH2K9 wrote: »

So even when you're chipping you can have it tended:eek::eek:

Presumably only by your caddy or team member though?

stockdam · 31-01-2011 8:19pm

Licksy wrote: »

Didn't you used to be able to leave the flag in while putting on the green also?
Think I saw Arnold Palmer on a colour TV clip holing a putt (on the green) while the flag was left in the hole.??

Even longer ago you could stymie an opponent by putting your ball in between his and the hole.

fullstop · 01-02-2011 12:03am

sector wrote: »

Presumably only by your caddy or team member though?

Where in the rule does it say that?

Unglika Norse · 01-02-2011 12:23am

I think it's quite a bit of fun to ask a playing partner to attend the flag especially on a par 3 of about 200 yds.