
In the game of golf, the term pin is used to refer to the flagstick, which is a pole with a flag on top that marks the position of the hole on a golf course. The flagstick is also sometimes referred to as the pin placement or hole location. The pin is usually removed when the golfer gets closer to the hole, but it can also be left in, depending on the golfer's preference. The term pin high is used to describe a shot that reaches the same depth as the pin but misses the green to either side. A Sunday Pin refers to a cup location that is challenging to reach.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The "pin" in golf is another name for the "flagstick", which is a pole with a flag on it that marks each hole on the course. |
| Usage | The term "pin" is used colloquially by recreational golfers more often than in professional competitions. |
| Color-coding | Some golf courses color-code their flagsticks to indicate the location of the hole in relation to the putting green (e.g., whether it is at the back, front, right, left, or center). |
| Rule Changes | In 2019, the R&A changed the rule so that it is no longer a penalty to hole out a stroke with the flagstick still in the hole. Golfers can now choose to leave the pin in or take it out. |
| Pin High | "Pin high" refers to hitting the ball the correct distance but missing the green. It is considered a positive aspect of a golfer's performance. |
| Sunday Pin | A "Sunday Pin" refers to a cup location that is challenging to access on the approach shot. It is a green design concept that offers variety and accommodates golfers of all skill levels. |
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What You'll Learn

'Pin' is another term for the flagstick in golf
In the game of golf, the term "pin" is used to refer to the flagstick, which is the pole and often a red flag that marks each hole on the course. The pin is removed when the golfer gets closer to the hole or if they are aiming for a hole-in-one. The term "flagstick" is used in the official PGA Tour rulebook, but "pin" is more commonly used in casual conversation among recreational golfers.
Golf courses may colour-code their flagsticks to indicate the hole's location in relation to the putting green, such as whether it is at the back, front, left, right, or centre. Rule 13-2 of the Rules of Golf, authored by the USGA and R&A, outlines the rules pertaining to the pin and situations that golfers may encounter on the course.
The term "pin placement" refers to the location of the hole on the putting green. "Pin position" and "hole location" are interchangeable terms. Knowing the pin placement helps golfers determine their approach shot strategy. For instance, a pin placement at the back of the green may necessitate a longer shot than one at the front.
"Pin high" is a term used in golf to describe a specific situation where a golfer has hit the ball the correct distance but may have missed the green by a small margin. While it does not count as a "green in regulation," it is still considered a positive achievement as it indicates a successful judgement of distance.
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Pin placement refers to the location of the hole on the putting green
In golf, the term "pin" refers to the flagstick, which is a pole with a flag on it that marks the location of the hole on the putting green. Pin placement, therefore, refers to the location of the hole on the putting green, and “pin position” and "hole location" are synonyms. Knowing the pin placement helps golfers decide how to approach each green. For example, a pin placement at the back of a green might require a longer shot than a pin placement on the front part of a putting green.
Golf courses often colour-code their flagsticks to indicate the location of the hole in relation to the putting green, i.e., whether it is at the back, front, right, left, or centre. Pin sheets, also called hole charts, hole location sheets, or hole location charts, are provided by some golf courses to illustrate the pin placement on each green for the day. These sheets can be simple diagrams or drawings of the actual golf course, and they help golfers plan their shots.
The term "Sunday Pin" refers to a cup location that is difficult to access on the approach shot. Sunday Pin greens are designed to accommodate all skill levels by allowing any hole to be flexible for everyday play and occasionally providing a challenge during special events.
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Pin high is a term used to encourage golfers
In golf, the "pin" refers to the flagstick, a pole with a flag on it, placed in the hole to show players where it is. The term is used colloquially by recreational golfers more often than in professional competitions. The pin is placed in the centre of the green and marks the hole's location. The objective for golfers is to complete each hole in as few strokes as possible, which requires hitting the ball with accuracy and controlling its distance.
Being "pin high" means that a golfer's ball has landed on the green and rests at a distance from the hole that is approximately where the flagstick (pin) is located. In other words, it means you have hit the ball the correct distance, but your accuracy wasn't precise. It is a positive achievement, and golfers are encouraged to be "pin high" because it is strategically advantageous. When a golfer's ball finishes "pin high", it typically leaves them with a putt on the same plane as the hole, which is essential for accuracy. It also means golfers can better judge the speed and line of their putts when putting uphill or downhill, rather than facing more complicated sidehill putts.
There are positives and negatives to hitting the pin. Sometimes golfers want the ball to hit the pin as it will stop it from going over the back of the green or take some of the speed out of its flight. However, there are times when a golfer thinks they have hit the perfect shot, only for the ball to hit the flag and ricochet off the putting surface.
The term "pin high" is also relevant to the green in regulation statistic. For example, a golfer could miss the green by a short distance to the side, be pin high, but this wouldn't count as a green in regulation.
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Sunday Pin refers to a cup location that is difficult to access
In golf, the term "pin" refers to the flagstick marker that signifies the location of a hole on the putting green. The term is often used in colloquial speech by recreational golfers. Courses may colour-code these flagsticks to indicate the location of the hole in relation to the putting green, i.e. whether it is at the back, front, right, left, or centre.
The "Sunday Pin" is a term used to describe a cup location that is particularly difficult to access on your approach shot. The name is derived from the way golf courses are typically set up on the last day of a tournament, with the hardest hole locations saved for Sundays.
Sunday Pin greens are adaptable to all types of holes and courses. They offer daily variety based on wind conditions, cup location, tee shot length, and golfer confidence. Golf course designers can vary the location of the Sunday Pin among greens, striving for at least one green with the most difficult pin in each of the eight possible locations: front right, front middle, front left, middle right, middle left, back right, back middle, and back left.
Most courses set up a rotation of pin settings that balances length and cup location difficulty, providing variety by having three pins in each of the six basic cup areas every day. By some definitions, the Sunday Pin should not be in the middle, as most golfers believe that the middle of the green is "safe". However, some designers may occasionally place the toughest pin spot in the centre of the green by creating a large green and using contours to guard the middle.
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Pin in or out – golfers can now choose
The "pin", also known as the
In 2019, the R&A changed the rules regarding the pin. Previously, if a ball struck the flagstick, the player would incur a two-shot penalty. As a result, players would always remove the pin before putting. Now, golfers can choose to leave the pin in or take it out. This rule change has helped to speed up the pace of play and encouraged ready golf.
The term "pin high" is used to describe a shot that has reached the same elevation as the hole, but has missed the putting surface. Being pin high is considered a positive, as it indicates that the correct distance has been hit. However, it can also have negatives, such as increasing the risk of the ball going over the back of the green.
"Sunday Pin" refers to a type of green design where the cup location is difficult to access on the approach shot. Sunday Pin greens are adaptable to various hole types and course conditions, offering daily variety based on wind conditions, cup location, tee shot length, and golfer confidence.
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Frequently asked questions
The term 'pin' in golf refers to the flagstick, which is the pole and often a red flag that marks each hole on the course.
The pin marks the location of the hole on the putting green. Knowing the pin placement helps golfers decide on their approach shot.
The term 'flagstick' is used in the official PGA Tour rulebook, whereas 'pin' is used more often in colloquial speech by recreational golfers.











































