Leaning Flag Stick - Permissible to "Test" whether a ball can fit in the hole?

[bkuehn1952]

Can one hold a ball near a hole to "measure" whether a leaning flag stick prevents a ball from going in the hole?

Here is the scenario I envision:

Walking to the hole it is obvious the flag stick is leaning toward your ball, which rests on the fringe.  One attempts to center the flag but the liner and gravity make the flag lean.  It looks like a ball might fit between the edge of the hole and the leaning stick but you are not sure.  So you take an extra ball and see if you can insert it in the hole without contacting the flag stick.

Okay?  Not Okay?  Does it make a difference if one does or doesn't touch the ground and/or the flag stick?

 

[Pretzel]

The only rule I could see you potentially violating would be the one diswallowing you for testing or beneficially altering the putting surface. So long as you were to steer well clear of rubbing, feeling, or rolling the ball along the surface of the green I don't see why this would be an issue.

You can have as many golf balls out of your bag as you want provided only one is in play/being used, so you could even go so far as to juggle the extras if it pleased you. The only major concern here is to ensure that you aren't testing the putting surface in the process, but I imagine if you explain yourself to your competitors they would be grateful to know themselves and wouldn't harass you about it or claim you tested the green. 

[DaveP043]

I'm thinking of the math here.  A golf ball is 1.68 inches.  If I put a ball on each side of the pin, and the hole is 4.25 inches, that leaves about 0.9 inches between the golf balls, where the pin would be if its centered.  It has to be significantly off-center if its going to keep a ball out of the hole.  If its that off-center, I'm going to assume its a problem, and I'll remove it as long as I am completely comfortable with my ability to control the distance of the putt or chip, and its close enough that I have a reasonable chance to hole it.  If I'm the least bit uncomfortable with my distance control, or I have no expectation of making it, I leave it in even if its off-center..  

Having said all that, I can't think of a rule that prohibits "measuring" the distance between the pin and the edge of the hole by using a golf ball, as long as you're not testing the green surface, as @Pretzel said before me.

[Fourputt]

No rule I can think of, but if the flagstick is leaning toward me even a little bit and can't be straightened, I'm not leaving it in the hole.  I'll either remove it, or have it attended.  I get that a lot out here where the wind blows constantly all winter long and the flagstick socket in the insert gets wallowed out so the flagstick won't stand straight.  They usually have to replace the hole inserts about every second spring on many local courses.

[bkuehn1952]

Thanks for the responses.  I doubt I would ever be inclined to measure and like most of you, if the flag stick is noticeably leaning toward my ball, it most likely comes out.