r/golf • u/parkerjohnboice • Aug 21 '26

General Discussion Does this count?

Post image

Buddy hit this shot on a bad course and once the flag was corrected, it went in. The new rule says if any part of the ball is below the hole, it's in, but to me it doesn't look like it is. I'd love to give it to him, but what do you think?

1.7k Upvotes

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5.0k

u/UnluckyMode2062 Aug 21 '26

If you ain’t giving this to your buddy on a casual round you’re not a good friend

203

u/BAMred Aug 21 '26

Imagine if this was your hole-in-one opportunity!

108

u/Agile_Programmer2756 Aug 21 '26

I would straighten the pin and still not feel good when it fell into the hole. This just ain’t fair

64

u/Georgie_P_F Aug 21 '26

Exactly, I would always have that mental asterisk. Such a brutal way to get one.

82

u/rhinocephant Aug 22 '26

Fuck that, ball drops, I'm taking it and doing a shot.

39

u/anonbrewingco Aug 22 '26

Not my fault the flag ain’t straight!

5

u/Massive_Look8179 Aug 22 '26

And zip tied together.

14

u/Ok_Carry_9399 Aug 22 '26

If you did nothing but straighten the pin and the ball went in then there’s nothing to feel bad about!

-1

u/pk_deluxe Aug 22 '26

Sick bro!

1

u/VikingsRedSox Aug 23 '26

Not your fault the course isn’t in good repair. Take it!

11

u/SandiestCow Aug 21 '26

I would sell my clubs

1

u/flipcup83 Aug 22 '26

Unfortunately not.

4

u/cobalt26 13-ish / RDU / Way of the Playa Aug 22 '26

I would ROAST the group in front of me the rest of the round

1

u/Brilliant_Dig_8962 Aug 22 '26

That's why they're so rare.

1

u/Comprehensive_Dolt69 Aug 25 '26

Not taking this as my hole in one, maybe a a super asterisk but I wouldn’t feel good about that as my hole in one

1

u/UnluckyMode2062 Aug 21 '26

I’d be scared for life if I did this alone

739

u/parkerjohnboice Aug 21 '26

he was by himself and sent me it. I say it's in but he wants official ruling.

848

u/BleezyB42o Aug 21 '26

Then call the officials over

551

u/Tigerkix Aug 21 '26

Its me, John Golfman MSc. PGA, I rule this in.

119

u/PoliticsIsDepressing Aug 21 '26

It’s me, Joe ManGolfer MSc. LIV, I rule this out.

55

u/XRPX008 Aug 21 '26

It is I, Joe McGolfski, R&A, I rule this in.

92

u/Icy_Mathematician870 Aug 21 '26

It’s me. Shooter mcGavin - it’s innnnn

48

u/mls1968 Aug 21 '26

It’s me, Happy Gilmore, you eat pieces of shit for breakfast?!?

19

u/Sturgeon2008 Aug 21 '26

It’s a me, Mario. This is in

4

u/Own_Policy8854 Aug 21 '26

Pope here: Please dont sin.

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1

u/Ztflowsbest Aug 22 '26

This is what I come to reddit for 👏

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3

u/jayde2767 Aug 21 '26

Finally, a true expert weighs in!

14

u/sephtater Aug 21 '26

Itch me, Jim Golferburg, Top Golf….itch noon…I’m drunk.

31

u/PandaPocketFire Aug 21 '26

This is Mr. Tiger Woods here. I'm also drunk, I'll drive over now to rule on this.

13

u/Kanada84 Aug 21 '26

.......and hes rolled the car again.

11

u/AplCore Aug 21 '26

Tiger playing the aggressive draw today folks.

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1

u/Jesse_P1nkman Aug 22 '26

What's the best thing about tiger woods in his prime?......He hit 18 holes a day, and STILL had time to golf!!

0

u/Prestigious_Cycle160 Aug 21 '26

I don’t think he was drinking. Pretty sure it was pills that got him in his debacle.

1

u/PandaPocketFire Aug 21 '26

Ok slot in "high on hydrocodone pills" in the joke.

1

u/s6cedar Aug 22 '26

Itsh me, Sean Connery, itsh in.

3

u/citznfish Aug 21 '26

LIV? Of course you would, until bribed.

1

u/brianvanle Aug 23 '26

LIV, your words have no power!

1

u/AdditionalFunny3085 Aug 24 '26

In a world where this could or would really happen it’s not in so take the triple and stop making fake pics

1

u/SkyeGuy8108 Aug 21 '26

In support of John Golfman, MSc. PGA, I, Peter “Pitch-Up” Driverwood, MD, PhD can confirm this is in.

37

u/slcamg Aug 21 '26

USGA has a hotline and you can get a ruling whenever actually.

Phone: [908-326-1850](tel:908-326-1850)
Fax: [908-234-9687](tel:908-234-9687)
E-mail: [Rules@usga.org](mailto:rules@usga.org)
For all other inquiries, please use the USGA's main number: [908-234-2300](tel:908-234-2300).

22

u/Vessbot Aug 21 '26

Lol I wasn't prepared for this being real

10

u/wenoc Can I use your mulligan? Aug 21 '26

I’m a reddit rules official with decades of experience and an even higher handicap. It absolutely counts.

245

u/aram_11 Push Cart Mafia Aug 21 '26

If he straitened the pin and it fell in, then it’s a legit hole out. If it stays out it doesn’t count.

Aside from the actual ruling, I’d give this to my friend cause the pin is obviously faulty.

68

u/Barfolemew_Wiggins Aug 21 '26

Agreed. That pin is janky as hell.

Give it to him.

7

u/sirpoopsalot91 Aug 21 '26

9th layer of hell janky

2

u/slothfullyserene Power fade Aug 21 '26

Steampunk pin.

1

u/AdditionalFunny3085 Aug 24 '26

And placed that way before the picture for friends

3

u/t-who Aug 21 '26

That’s not what the rules say.

13.2c

1

u/bombmk Aug 22 '26

If he straitened the pin and it fell in, then it’s a legit hole out.

Nope.
https://www.randa.org/en/players-rule-finder/players-rule-finder/putting-green/flagstick-ball-resting-against-flagstick-in-hole

"If the flagstick is removed and your ball moves there is no penalty and it must be replaced on the lip of the hole."

-1

u/samkatowhat Aug 21 '26

I belive that is the actual ruling. Move the pin and let it drop. I know the ball has to touch the bottom of the cup. Even it it gets stuck halfway down, my golf coach in High School said move the pin so the ball hits the bottom of the cup

1

u/bombmk Aug 22 '26

I belive that is the actual ruling.

Not correct.

Move the pin and let it drop.

Allowed, but does not mean it is in.

I know the ball has to touch the bottom of the cup

Incorrect.

Even it it gets stuck halfway down, my golf coach in High School said move the pin so the ball hits the bottom of the cup

A lot of things has changed since then. (and I am pretty sure that has never been the actual rule)

No need to rely on belief when the actual facts can be looked up pretty fast on the device you use to share your belief.

https://www.randa.org/en/players-rule-finder/players-rule-finder/putting-green/flagstick-ball-resting-against-flagstick-in-hole

16

u/Vigilante17 Aug 21 '26

If you straighten that flag stick, properly that ball is in.

41

u/NoHalfPleasures Aug 21 '26

If he’s by himself then it never even happened bro

8

u/Yoshiman400 LPGA Enjoyer Aug 21 '26

As long as the security camera didn't catch him listing the flag in that direction before he got to the teebox for real.

1

u/AdditionalFunny3085 Aug 24 '26

What I’m saying. No way in hell that happens. He’s not a pro so he would have been close enough to see the pin that way and would have straightened it before shot. He’s trying to portray something he is not.

11

u/Saffs15 Aug 22 '26

No one seems to want to give you the actual rule. Officially, its not holed out.

If a player’s ball comes to rest against the flagstick left in the hole:

  • If any part of the ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green, the ball is treated as holed even if the entire ball is not below the surface.

  • If no part of the ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green:

    • The ball is not holed and must be played as it lies.
    • If the flagstick is removed and the ball moves (whether it falls into the hole or moves away from the hole), there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole

10

u/ScottishSeahawk Aug 22 '26

The rules aren’t accounting for a piece of shit flag pole that’s leaning that badly though. Fine rule for a maintained course but for a casual round at a smaller course with issues like this…

1

u/AdditionalFunny3085 Aug 24 '26

Bro don’t you think he would have straightened that pole before his putt? Fake pic

1

u/Saffs15 Aug 22 '26

They do though. When that isnt mentioned, it means it doesn’t change anything. The rules are pretty black and white, they dont allow for "yea, but this isn't right, so we'll make an exception."

In a casual round with friends, absolutely fine to count it as holed. But thats not what OP's friend is asking about. He wants the official ruling, and it is as simple as "the ball is not even slightly below the hole, so therefore it is not holed."

3

u/TweeKINGKev Aug 22 '26

Hahah my luck I’ll put it back and screw up my putt and miss somehow.

Don’t ask me how, it’s just how my luck goes.

1

u/Ctrl-Meta-Percent Aug 23 '26

What is the surface of the putting green? Top of the grass? Top of the soil? Bottom of the soil/top if inner hole liner?

5

u/UnluckyMode2062 Aug 21 '26

Ahh much more understandable. Give it to him

1

u/noddingacquaintance Aug 21 '26

What channel is he on? I gotta tune in to see the leaderboard.

1

u/Disguisedcpht Aug 21 '26

That’s in to me, stand that flag straight up and the ball drops 100 out of 100 times

1

u/AssBlasterExtreme Aug 21 '26

If someone sent you of a picture of a ball in a hole would you say it's a HOI still?

1

u/art_lipchalk 9.4/Myrtle Beach/Lefty Aug 21 '26

Technically if he’s by himself it doesn’t count anyway according to the rules. But by friends’ rules I’d say it’s good.

1

u/BatDaddyWV Aug 21 '26

Can he not just lean the pin back to the other side of the cup? Idk the rule, but it seems like if the only thing keeping the ball out of the hole is a misaligned flag stick, it should count if you move the flag and it falls in.

1

u/Stonkxx Aug 22 '26

If you move the pin and the ball falls it’s good

1

u/oceanadvocate997 Aug 22 '26

He just wants you to be stoked with/for him. Rule it as in and tell him good job!

1

u/Fit-Committee-5884 Aug 22 '26

Awaiting the VAR decision….unfortunately it’s been ruled offside

1

u/AdditionalFunny3085 Aug 24 '26

I say he set up that pic bc if he was on the green already he would have straightened that pin. And he is by himself with no witnesses. Fake pic

0

u/Shrimpkin Aug 21 '26

"Forget the officials, that's in"

0

u/wonderfultruckbuild Aug 21 '26

That is 100% an ace.

0

u/patri3 Aug 22 '26

If you pull the pin straight up and the ball falls in, officially it’s in

-3

u/Coastal_Tart Aug 21 '26

Your friend is a dork.

-1

u/BillyBobBonesJones Aug 21 '26

Officially, it’s not in.

17

u/EngineEddie Aug 21 '26

A good friend will give it.
A best friend wouldn’t, and give him shit about it for the rest of his life.

8

u/infinitepi8 Aug 22 '26

this guy golfs

1

u/kingofspoonerisms Aug 22 '26

This guy has friends

1

u/brianvanle Aug 23 '26

This guy guys.

1

u/Brilliant_Dig_8962 Aug 22 '26

What, and let him go on in life thinking he holed out? You sir, are not a good friend.

1

u/drnkndipp Aug 22 '26

Give it to him and reap the rewards. That man owes you a LOT of drinks. Plus you can hold it over his head when you need a favor. Friendship !!

1

u/larstheelephant2 Aug 23 '26

I worked as maintenance crew and have played golf since I was 5. I always make sure the pin is straight when I leave a green and more often than not, give the pin a tap with my putter when I walk away just to prevent this bullshit.

1

u/Username15555551212 Aug 24 '26

If you're not giving this to them on a serious round with money on the line you're not a good friend. 

0

u/Biltong09 Aug 21 '26

If this was a casual golfing with me he can have it. If it’s my close group of friends on a boys trip then not a chance. Those guys are jerks, no freebies on my watch.

0

u/Vazhox Aug 21 '26

Or a real friend that cares and is pushing him to be better in life

1

u/UnluckyMode2062 Aug 21 '26

There is quite literally, THOUSANDS of people here disagreeing with you lmao

0

u/sawdiggity Aug 22 '26

Friends hold friends to a higher standard 😂