Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
A Flag Competition is a casual golf format in which a player receives a stated allowance of strokes, commonly the course par plus the agreed handicap strokes, and carries a flag to the spot reached when those strokes are used. The player reaching furthest wins.
How it matters in match play
Flag Competition is not Match Play: it is normally an individual, distance-reached contest scored like a Stroke Play round. Handicap terms, whether full or a fraction, and the treatment of a flag reached or passed must be written in the Terms of the Competition. The R&A Rules of Golf do not prescribe this casual format, so do not assume a WHS allowance or match-play result applies.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Flag Competition |
| Category | betting |
| Applicable rule | No dedicated official rule established |
| Related concepts | Stroke Play, Handicap Competition, Scorecard, Course Handicap, Hole Score |
Worked example
Illustrative example: on a par-72 course, Alex has 18 agreed handicap strokes, giving 90 strokes; Alex's 90th stroke finishes on the 16th hole, while Ben's 90th reaches the 17th tee, so Ben's flag is farther round and Ben wins.
Sources: www.proserpinegolfclub.com.au , www.randa.org , www.golfcompendium.com
Common questions
How does a Flag Competition work?
Each player plays while recording Hole Scores on a Scorecard. The player stops when the agreed stroke allotment is used, marks that finishing spot with a flag, and the player whose flag is furthest round the course wins.
Is Flag Competition an official Rules of Golf format?
Not as a named format in the Rules of Golf. A club may run it under published Terms of the Competition, but the handicap method, finishing procedure and tie arrangements are house or event conditions rather than a universal rule.
How many handicap strokes does a player get in a Flag Competition?
There is no single universal answer. The event conditions might use full Course Handicap strokes or another agreed basis. For example, a par-72 event using 18 agreed strokes gives a 90-stroke allotment; check the organiser's written conditions before playing.
Can a Flag Competition continue beyond the 18th hole?
It can, if the event conditions allow play to continue from the 1st tee after the 18th hole. The winner is then the player whose allotted strokes carry the flag furthest, including any extra holes used to spend the remaining strokes.
Is a Flag Competition the same as Match Play?
No. Match Play compares opponents hole by hole, while a Flag Competition normally compares how far individual players travel on their allotted strokes. A club could combine formats only if its Terms of the Competition clearly say so.
What happens if two flags finish at the same distance?
The event conditions should state the tie-break. Possible arrangements include comparing the score on the finishing hole or declaring a tie; there is no universal Flag Competition tie-break in the Rules of Golf. Do not invent one after play has started.