Why Golf Courses Move Holes During Tournaments

Most golf tournaments - especially in the professional game - take place across one golf course over consecutive days between Thursday and Sunday. They feature around 150 players and see each person try to shoot the lowest stroke play score possible in order to win.

After two rounds, there is often something called 'the cut' where around half of the field continue through to the final couple of rounds while anyone who is either more than 10 shots behind the leader or not inside roughly the top-65 will head home.

Between every round of 18 holes, which are usually once a day - providing there are no weather interruptions - the greenkeeping team will attend to the course to ensure it is playing at its absolute best for as long as possible.

This includes mowing the grass, raking bunkers, altering tee-box locations, and - crucially - changing the location of the flag.

They do this in order to prevent excess wear and tear on the natural grass surface in a certain place, as well as to ensure each hole plays differently and therefore add to the variety and enjoyment of each section of the course.

Holes, also sometimes referred to as 'pin positions', can be switched between days depending on how easy or difficult scoring has become. If the governing body thinks scores are too low, they can instruct green keepers to put the flag in a tougher position - and vice versa.

Holes are cut by a trained greenkeeper who uses a specially-designed tool to dig into the earth. The tool cuts the hole to size and scoops out the turf and soil before that is used to replace the old hole location.

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At the recreational level, hole locations might not be changed as often due to a range of factors including the maintenance budget a particular course has, the type of grass on the green, and the time of year.

And despite many believing otherwise, there is no such thing as an 'illegal' hole location. The theory is that putting a hole within a couple of yards of the green's edge would be considered illegitimate, but the USGA have confirmed this is not the case. Many greenkeepers simply prefer to cut the hole at least one flag stick away from the collar.

Can A Golf Hole Be Changed During A Round?

Yes, the location of a hole can be changed during a round if the existing location has been damaged to an extent that it is not able to be repaired. According to the R&A, the golf club should make every effort to try and repair the hole to its correct specification first. 

However, if this is not possible, the R&A say the new hole "should be moved to a nearby similar location that provides the same challenge as where the hole was originally located, and ideally by moving it as short a distance as possible from the original location."