King Julian
Member
King Julian would point out that the reason to have the flag attended no longer exists, stevieb15 had the flag attended from 6 feet ! Sorry king julian would not be doing this.
Attending the flag.
- Thread starter clubchamp98
- Start date
rulefan
Tour Winner
There is a different reason now. The player may not want the possibility that hitting the stick could prevent the ball falling into the hole.
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
King Julian has made an error. A player has an option to have the flag attended.
There is no requirement for a reason to exercise this option.
The player's choice gives the reason for the flag to be attended.
If any player chooses to never to exercise this option (and it would appear that King Julian is such a player), then that player's choice has no bearing or influence over another player's choice.
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salfordlad
Well-known member
Indeed. King Julian has firmly placed the Royal noggin in a part of the Royal personage where the sun doesn't shine.
D-S
Well-known member
Like most on here I never had a problem attending the flag for people as this was part of the game. Since 2019 though I can't remember anyone ever asking for a flag to be attended.
I did have two odd situations pre 2019.
One where my opponent wanted me to attend the flag on almost every putt even those of 3 to 4 feet, this was tricky as you had to pull the flag out quickly to avoid the ball hitting it - I think he did it as some sort of pathetic gamesmanship just to irritate people, not sure why.
The other occasion was when a player in a Society wanted the person who was attending the flag to stand 3 or 4 paces away from the flag when attending it - this meant you had to rush back to the pin to pull it out when he struck the putt. He claimed that although he wanted the flag attended, having someone stood by the hole put him off - odd.
I did have two odd situations pre 2019.
One where my opponent wanted me to attend the flag on almost every putt even those of 3 to 4 feet, this was tricky as you had to pull the flag out quickly to avoid the ball hitting it - I think he did it as some sort of pathetic gamesmanship just to irritate people, not sure why.
The other occasion was when a player in a Society wanted the person who was attending the flag to stand 3 or 4 paces away from the flag when attending it - this meant you had to rush back to the pin to pull it out when he struck the putt. He claimed that although he wanted the flag attended, having someone stood by the hole put him off - odd.
chrisd
Major Champion
Now, I would always attend the flag if asked, and I've done it a few times since the changes but I definitely would not do it under a circumstance which you describe. Let's say you pull it out and are a fraction late, his ball hits the flagstick and bounces 15 feet away - who is going to take the blame for that one?
rulefan
Tour Winner
No-one. There is no penalty and the ball is played as it lies.Now, I would always attend the flag if asked, and I've done it a few times since the changes but I definitely would not do it under a circumstance which you describe. Let's say you pull it out and are a fraction late, his ball hits the flagstick and bounces 15 feet away - who is going to take the blame for that one?
chrisd
Major Champion
I'm not saying there's a penalty, but is the player going to blame the flag attendee for pulling the flag out too late so the ball hit the flagstick instead of dropping in the hole, with the attendee claiming the problem is that he has to move 3 or 4 paces after the ball is struck and just got there too late?
stevieb15
Hacker
I think the flag has to be held before the stroke is played
rulefan
Tour Winner
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
That’s just stupid .
you can only stand the length of your arm away If your holding the flag.
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
Are his clubs a bit flat?
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
Out of interest, do you know if that description/definition of 'attending' was new in the 2019 rules - or was it more long-standing than that?
rulefan
Tour Winner
Prior to 2019 the Rule said '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.'
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backwoodsman
Tour Winner
Ta.
D-S
Well-known member
As per my mail both flag attending scenarios happened pre 2019 as I haven't seen anyone be asked to do so since. If I had known that I had to be holding the pin when the ball was struck, I would have definitely said so as it was all a bit of a rigmarole.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Back then…I stand within easy arms length of the flag and even though you hadn’t asked me to attend the flag I was deemed to be doing so. And so if the flag was hit by a shot from off the green but of course it hadn’t been removed because I wasn’t asked to remove it, was it not a penalty to the player who hit the flag with his shot. Might be misrecalling that though.
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Colin L
Tour Winner
In 2019, I made a conscious decision to forget the previous rules. One of the easier targets of the year to hit.
Steven Rules
Well-known member
Confusingly, the next section below that in 13.2b(1) implies a person doesn't actually have to be holding the flagstick to be deemed to be attending it:
The player is treated as having authorized the flagstick to be attended if:
- The player’s caddie is holding the flagstick in, above or next to the hole or is standing right next to the hole when the stroke is made, even if the player is not aware the caddie is doing so,
- The player asks any other person to attend the flagstick and that person does so, or
- The player sees any other person holding the flagstick in, above or next to the hole or standing right next to the hole, and the player makes the stroke without asking that person to move away or to leave the flagstick in the hole.
