Tending the Flag
Tending the flag means holding, lifting out or putting back the flag for a fellow player while they play.
Tending the flag is a fixed part of the etiquette on the green. Whoever is first on the green or stands closest to the flag takes on the task for the group. Concretely that means: lift the flag vertically out of the hole without touching the rim of the hole, lay it flat on the green where it bothers nobody, and put it back after the last putt. Since 2019 the ball may strike the flag standing in the hole without penalty, which is why tending the flag today is more a service to the pace of play than a rule obligation.
In practice it runs like this: three balls are on the green, you stand closest to the flag. Your fellow player is putting from ten metres and wants the flag out. You lift it out, position yourself so that your shadow does not lie on his putting line, and hold the flag sideways by the pole. After his putt you lay it down, step out of the line of all the others and put it back in as soon as the group is finished. It is important that when holding it you stand neither on the putter's line nor on the extension behind it.
Typical mistakes are small but annoying. Pulling the flag out at an angle damages the rim of the hole and costs the greenkeeper work. Throwing it across the green to be quicker leaves marks in the surface. And staying there holding it while the next player is already addressing the ball forces him to wait. Attentive flag tending is part of good manners, just like repairing your own pitch mark.
FAQ
Who in the group has to tend the flag?
There is no fixed rule, but the etiquette is clear: whoever stands closest to the flag or is first on the green takes on the task for everyone. That saves time, because not every player has to run to the flag themselves. Hold the flag sideways by the pole, watch your shadow and never stand on a fellow player's putting line.
Since the rule change of 2019, does the flag still have to be lifted out at all?
No, since 2019 the ball may strike the flag standing in the hole without penalty, whether putting from the green or from outside it. Many players simply leave it in for long putts, because the flag helps as a sighting mark. Tending the flag today is therefore more about service to the pace of play than about rule obligation.
Which mistakes should I avoid when tending the flag?
Pull the flag vertically out of the hole without touching its rim, otherwise you damage it and make extra work for the greenkeeper. Lay it flat in a place where it bothers nobody instead of throwing it across the green. And only put it back in once the whole group has finished putting, not already after the first ball.