ruling question

[lcfd42]

We were playing a two man best ball tournament, and I was playng a short chip from off of the green. When the shot landed and started rolling, one of the players (who is rather new to golf) from another team grabbed the flag and pulled it as the ball approached the hole. The ball had alraedy started falling into the hole when the end of the flag being pulled out of the cup popped the ball back out of the hole. Had the pin been left alone we would have scored a birdie on the hole, but we wound up with par.
I understand there was nothing we could do about our score, but I also know I read somewhere that the person who pulled the flag (without being asked to tend) would be penalized a number of strokes. I know iacas will be able to answer this.
Just for intrest and conversation, the guy's team who pulled the pin were not assessed any penalty, and won the tournament by 1 stroke. I could not argue what the penalty if any should be assessed, but really felt sh!t on since we finished one stroke out of the money. I have no hard feelings towards the guy (as I honestly believe he didn't know any better)so I just went home knowing what goes around comes around, especiallly in golf.
Thanks in advance.

[mrt10x]

not hard to figure out
http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-17/

[zeg]

  mrt10x said:

not hard to figure out

Yep, and just to get the answer in the thread in case the link goes out of date: Rule 17-2 says that if the flagstick attending was unauthorized, the fellow competitor who did the unauthorized tending incurs the applicable penalty. In this case, the penalty is 2 strokes. The competitor whose ball was influenced must play the ball as it lies since it was played from off the putting surface (had it been a putt, the stroke could be canceled and replayed; the 2-stroke penalty would still apply to the fellow competitor).

The only possible wrinkle I see here is that if the guy was standing next to the flagstick prior to your stroke, and you were aware of it, then it is deemed that you authorized him to tend even if no words were exchanged. From 17-1:

  None said:

Note 1: If the flagstick is in the hole and anyone stands near it while a stroke is being made, he is deemed to be attending the flagstick. Note 2: If, prior to the stroke, the flagstick is attended, removed or held up by anyone with the player's knowledge and he makes no objection, the player is deemed to have authorized it.

If this is the case, then you incur the two stroke penalty and still play the ball as it lies.

[Fourputt]

So the question to be answered is, "Was the fellow competitor standing near the hole when you made the stroke?"

If not, then he should have incurred the 2 stroke penalty for unauthorized attendance.

If so, then you receive the penalty for striking an attended flagstick.

[lcfd42]

  Fourputt said:

So the question to be answered is, "Was the fellow competitor standing near the hole when you made the stroke?"

No, he actually ran over to the flag to pull the stick. He was at least 15 feet away when the ball was hit. I appreciate the quick answers.

Thanks Guys.