Rules Guy: My playing partner hung his jacket on the flagstick while he putted. Is that legal?
Rules Guy: Jacket on Flagstick While Putting
A reader recently asked if it’s legal to hang a jacket on the flagstick while putting. According to Rule 13.2a(2), a player may not “touch the flagstick in any way except to remove it when putting.” However, the reader clarified that the jacket was not touching the flagstick itself, but was instead hanging from the cup.
Rule 16.1b states that a player is not penalized for causing the ball to move “by an outside agency.” Since the jacket was not attached to the player or his equipment, and did not touch the flagstick, it could be considered an outside agency.
Therefore, it would appear that hanging a jacket on the flagstick while putting is not a rules violation, provided that the jacket does not touch the flagstick itself.
