Foreign Object On Flag Pole

[Diamond]

So playing the 2nd hole in our medal yesterday. Par 4 and on the green in 3. Long put for par and ended a length about 18 inches away, a gimme on a sunday social. Anyway I lined up and it hit the flag and lipped away and again 18 inches away. Played shot again dead centre and it hit the pole and bounced out. I plopped the next one in and as I was getting my ball a playing partner said hang on. Upon inspection of the hole the flag had a cable tie the same level as the ball entering the hole. He said I saw your 2nd to last shot bounce off the tie. Another player said its just bad luck and my 7 stood. I think he is probably right but it cost me 2 shots on one hole.

 

[Diamond]

How can you not see that if the ball is "18 inches away"???

The cable tie was see through clear and around the flag pole then trimmed. I think it is there to keep the sponge in place but should be pushed down to the bottom. Somehow it had ridden up to where the ball enters the hole. Only one of the 4 of us spotted it and that was after me taking 3 shots from less than 2 foot.

 

[Diamond]

No palaver I just wondered lf there was a ruling for it. I took the 7 but seems to be rather unfair.

 

[Diamond]

How can you not see that if the ball is "18 inches away"???

That's true if I was lying down directly behind the ball.
However I wasnt so it was over 6 feet away in the rain and a clear piece of plastic a 16th of an inch in size.

My eyes aren't that good.?

 

[Colin L]

I'm thinking that the cable tie is a movable obstruction and that you should have cancelled the shot and played again without penalty from the same spot [Rule 11.1b Exception 2].

Just thinking at the moment, not saying.