17-1. Flagstick Attended, Removed or Held Up

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.
If the flagstick is not attended, removed or held up before the
player makes a stroke, it must not be attended, removed or
held up during the stroke or while the player’s ball is in motion
if doing so might influence the movement of the ball.
Note 1: If the flagstick is in the hole and anyone stands near it
while a stroke is being made, he is deemed to be attending
the flagstick.
Note 2: If, prior to the stroke, the flagstick is attended,
removed or held up by anyone with the player’s knowledge
and he makes no objection, the player is deemed to have
authorised it.
Note 3: If anyone attends or holds up the flagstick while a
stroke is being made, he is deemed to be attending the flagstick
until the ball comes to rest.

17-2. Unauthorised Attendance
If an opponent or his caddie in match play or a fellowcompetitor
or his caddie in stroke play, without the player’s
authority or prior knowledge, attends, removes or holds up the
flagstick during the stroke or while the ball is in motion, and
the act might influence the movement of the ball, the opponent
or fellow-competitor incurs the applicable penalty.

17-3. Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant
The player’s ball must not strike:
a. The flagstick when it is being attended, removed or
held up;
b. The person attending or holding up the flagstick; or
c. The flagstick in the hole, unattended, when the stroke has
been made on the putting green.
Exception: When the flagstick is attended, removed or held up
without the player’s authority – see Rule 17-2.
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.

17-4. Ball Resting Against Flagstick
When the flagstick is in the hole and a player’s ball when not
holed rests against it, the player or another person authorised
by him may move or remove the flagstick and if the ball falls
into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with his
last stroke; otherwise, the ball, if moved, must be placed on the
lip of the hole, without penalty.

16-1. General
a. Touching Line of Putt
The line of putt must not be touched except:
(i) the player may remove loose impediments, provided he
does not press anything down;
(ii) the player may place the club in front of the ball when
addressing it, provided he does not press anything down;
(iii) in measuring – Rule 18-6;
(iv) in lifting the ball – Rule 16-1b;
(v) in pressing down a ball-marker;
(vi) in repairing old hole plugs or ball marks on the putting
green – Rule 16-1c; and
(vii) in removing movable obstructions – Rule 24-1
(Indicating line for putting on putting green – see Rule 8-2b)
b. Lifting and Cleaning Ball
A ball on the putting green may be lifted and, if desired,
cleaned. The position of the ball must be marked before it is
lifted and the ball must be replaced (see Rule 20-1).
c. Repair of Hole Plugs, Ball Marks and Other Damage
The player may repair an old hole plug or damage to the
putting green caused by the impact of a ball, whether or not
the player’s ball lies on the putting green. If a ball or ballmarker
is accidentally moved in the process of the repair, the
ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty
provided the movement of the ball is directly attributable to
the specific act of repairing an old hole plug or damage to the
putting green caused by the impact of a ball. Otherwise, the
player incurs a penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a.
Any other damage to the putting green must not be repaired if
it might assist the player in his subsequent play of the hole.
d. Testing Surface
During the play of a hole, a player must not test the surface of
the putting green by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping
the surface.
e. Standing Astride or on Line of Putt
The player must not make a stroke on the putting green from
a stance astride, or with either foot touching, the line of putt
or an extension of that line behind the ball.
f. Making Stroke While Another Ball in Motion
The player must not make a stroke while another ball is in
motion after a stroke from the putting green, except that, if a
player does so, there is no penalty if it was his turn to play.
(Lifting ball assisting or interfering with play while another
ball in motion – see Rule 22)

(Position of caddie or partner – see Rule 14-2)
(Wrong putting green – see Rule 25-3)

16-2. Ball Overhanging Hole
When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the
player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without
unreasonable delay and an additional ten seconds to determine
whether the ball is at rest. If by then the ball has not fallen into
the hole, it is deemed to be at rest. If the ball subsequently falls
into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with his
last stroke, and must add a penalty stroke to his score for the
hole; otherwise, there is no penalty under this Rule.