Pin
The pin is the flagstick in the hole — the marker you aim at on the green.
The pin, also called the Flag (Pin), sits in the hole and makes its position visible from far away. Officially, the rulebook calls it the flagstick. It carries the flag with the hole number, and some facilities additionally use colors or rings for the position of the hole on the green. When putting, you may leave the pin in or have it removed — both have been penalty-free since the 2019 rule reform. Attending of the flag by fellow players, on the other hand, has become a courtesy, no longer an obligation.
In practice, the pin is your target point for the approach and the putt. An example: you are standing 140 meters in front of the green, and the pin is visibly tucked behind a bunker. Instead of playing blindly to the middle, you aim for the safe side of the green and accept the longer putt. When holing out, the pin helps as a sound and sight marker: a ball that hits the flagstick stays in the hole more often than previously assumed.
A typical misconception: many still believe that a hit pin while putting costs penalty strokes. That was true on the green before 2019, but it has long since ceased to apply. The pin is occasionally confused with the Flag itself — strictly speaking, the flag is only the cloth on top. Anyone looking for the finer points of the position will find them under the term Pin Position, and anyone who wants to know how far the ball was will read Pin High.
FAQ
May I leave the pin in the hole while putting?
Yes, this has been penalty-free since the 2019 rule reform. If your ball hits the flagstick in the hole, there is no penalty stroke, whether from the green or from outside it. Whether you leave the pin in or have it removed is purely a matter of taste — on long putts it helps many players as a visual marker.
What do the colors on the pin mean?
Many facilities mark the position of the hole with colors or rings on the flagstick, for example red for front, white for middle and yellow for back. This helps you choose the club before you even see the green. The system is not standardized — a glance at the scorecard or the notice in the pro shop clarifies the meaning at the facility in question.
When should I have the pin attended?
Having the flag attended by a fellow player is a courtesy today, no longer an obligation. It makes sense on long putts in the sun or against the wind, when you cannot see the flag clearly otherwise. Briefly agree it with your group — then it takes less than five seconds.