Putting greens and the flagstick
The R&A / USGA · 2023Marking, repairs, wrong greens, flagstick choices and a ball overhanging the hole.
Care and ball movement
On the green, mark before lifting and cleaning your ball, then replace it. Reasonable repair of ball marks, spike marks and other permitted damage is allowed, but not improvement of natural imperfections or routine maintenance holes. Accidental ball or marker movement has no penalty; restore the spot. A wrong green interfering with the ball, stance or swing requires complete free relief, normally within 1 club-length of the nearest relief point, in the same course area and not nearer the hole.
Flagstick and waiting time
Decide before the stroke whether to leave, remove or have someone attend the flagstick. Accidental contact with it normally has no penalty. A ball resting against the flagstick is holed if any part is below the green surface inside the hole. For a ball overhanging the lip, allow reasonable time to reach the hole plus 10 seconds. If it falls later before being played, add 1 penalty stroke.
Sources & approach ↗