2011 #2 Who Can Move the Flagstick?

THE SCENE:
Your 4-some is on the green of hole #4. All of your balls lie within 6 feet of the cup. Mary removes the flag and places it on the ground. Your partner putts. Her ball misses the hole then heads towards the flagstick. It’s going to hit. And that will be a two stroke penalty.


You rush over and lift the flagstick just in time. The ball rolls on by and then stops. Whew! But one of the other players shakes her finger at you and says, “That’s a two stroke penalty. You can’t lift the flag while the ball is moving! Only the person who removed the flagstick can move it.”


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
A) You know you are allowed to move the flag so you refuse to take a penalty.
B) You just got excited and acted without thinking. You apologize and take a 2-stroke penalty.


A IS CORRECT.
This was new in 2008. Anyone is allowed to move a flagstick lying on the ground to prevent a ball from hitting it.


Actually, there are two things you can move out of the way of a ball in motion. Equipment of the players and a flagstick whether you are ‘tending it, holding it up or have placed it on the ground.


Look in your Rules of Golf book at Rule #24
24-1. Movable Obstruction
When a ball is in motion, an obstruction that might influence the movement of the ball, other than equipment of any player or the flagstick when attended, removed or held up, must not be moved.
Penalty for Breach of Rule:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.


Then look at this decision which says that anyone can move the flag:

17-1/6 Attended Flagstick Placed on Ground Subsequently Lifted Q. While a ball is in motion after a stroke, the person attending the flagstick removes it and places it on the ground. He then realizes the ball might strike the flagstick, so he picks it up. What is the ruling? A. There is no penalty. A flagstick that is attended, removed, or held up may be moved by anyone even if doing so could influence the movement of a ball in motion (Rule 24-1). REMEMBER: Anyone is now allowed to move the flag if a ball might hit it.