What Do the Colored Flags in Golf Mean?

New to golf and wondering how golfers know where to aim those shorter iron and wedge shots? Well the flags on the green give you a pretty useful clue. You may have noticed that green, not the color, flags can come in different colors. this is not for decoration, and knowing these colors can help you not just get on the green, but get closer to the hole. We explain these colors, with a printout to put in the golf bag during your round below.

The colored flags on golf greens are most often used to indicate the greens hole position. For example, Blue flags indicate a hole at the back of the green, White indicates the center. Different colored flags can be used to indicate hazards (black), temporary holes (orange) or charity / tournament holes (yellow).

These are some of the colors you may have seen on your local clubs course, and although each club may differ the descriptions below are the most commonly used for green hole locations.

We have made this into a printout, free of course, so if your club follows these flag colors on their greens you can print it off and pop it in your score book or golf bag for reference until you memorise them.

What do the colored flag sin golf mean — Back of the green

What are the Different Color Flags on Golf Courses

The color of flags on a golf course can vary depending on the specific course and its layout. However, there are a few common colors that are often used to indicate different things, usually hole positions of greens, but occasionally other things as well. We will take a look at the most common colors below.

Before we do, just a quick note ( we will do a longer one after the flag colors) but this is an important note for the next section.

NOTE: When you look at your scorecard it will have, or should have, the length of the holes on it. This is measured to the centre of the green. As you will read in the golf flag colors section below this matters, and with up to and over 10 yards different between hole positions it may change your choice of club. (especially on par 3 holes, but also on longer holes if you know the range)

What does a Red Flag Mean on a Golf Course?

The red flag is typically used to indicate the front of the green. This means that the hole is located near the front of the putting surface, closer to where the golfer would tee off from. This could take up to 10 yards off the length of the hole and may need you to go down a club so as not to overshoot the pin. So if usually you would use a 7 iron for example, you might need to drop to an 8 or 9 iron.

What does a White Flag Mean on a Golf Course?

A white flag usually shows the position of the centre of the green on a hole. This means the hole is located in the centre, or near it, of the putting area and when choosing a club you can refer to the length of the hole and choose accordingly. you should aim to get your ball in the centre rather than either end of the green.

What does a Blue Flag Mean on a Golf green?

The blue flag is often used to indicate the back of the green. ( very occasionally black) This means that the hole is located near the back of the putting surface and a little further than the official hole length.

In this case you might need to consider a longer approach shot and go up a club relative to the hole length just to get a little extra distance on your shot, though not to much or you will be shouting fore at the players in front!

What does a Yellow Flag Mean on a Golf green?

The yellow flag is sometimes used to indicate a specific area on the green, such as a tournament hole or a charity event flag. Hole positions can change, both to spice things up on the course and for specific events. If you see a yellow flag it might mean the hole is not where, if you play the course a lot, you expect it to be.

What does a Black flag Mean on a Golf Course?

The black flag is usually used to indicate a hazard such as a bunker, water hazard or out of bounds area. it is not usually found on the green so don’t be in a rush to aim for it! (that said a blue or black flag can sometimes mean the hole is at the back, so check this out before you tee off.)

What does an Orange Flag Mean on a Golf Course?

Orange: The orange flag is sometimes used to indicate a temporary hole location, such as during a course maintenance period. The green may need to renovation and rather than close the hole, or mess around to much with the layout the course may decide to move the hole. An orange flag let you know this is temporary.

Flags are used on the golf course to indicate the location of the hole, and they play an important role in helping golfers navigate the course.

Are the flags the same color on all golf courses?

Keep in mind that different courses might use different colors, and the colors also can indicate different information that is important to the golfer, so it’s always best to check with the course or with the officials of the tournament you’re playing on to confirm the meaning of the flags.

Additionally, at some golf course flagsticks are not used, instead they might have a pole with a number indicating the hole, in those cases you can check the scorecard or ask officials to understand which hole you are currently playing

Additionally, flags can also be used to indicate special events or conditions such as tournaments, or for signaling different playing rules for a special tournament or charity event.

It’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the flag system of a course prior to playing, if possible, in order to be able to quickly understand what they mean during the game.

We have the Golf Flag Color print out in an infographic below to download and help with this. (click to make it larger)

What do colored flags mean in golf, infographic

Do Golf Greens have more that one flag.

Although rarer on recreational courses, it is more common in tournaments to have more than one flag on the flag stick.

Often the top flag will be the same across all all holes, with a logo of a sponsor, the name of the tournament or even the hole number on them. However, on occasion there will be another flag on the flag stick which gives the golf player the information about the location of the hole in relation to the green.

These flags may use position on the flag stick rather than color to indicate the hole location. so:

A high or top flag indicates the hole is towards the back of the green
A low Flag indicates the hole is towards the front of the green
A central flag, you guessed it, indicates the hole in located around the centre of the green.

What other information does a golf Course flag Provide?

Although the colors of the flags may give you an idea of where the hole is on the green there are other flags, and further information you can get from them. We take a look at this below.

Wind Direction

Just like an air sock, golf flags can give you important information about both wind direction and wind speed.

By watching the direction the flag is fluttering in can help you position your shot to allow for any additional drag that the wind may have on the ball when it is in flight, and whether you need to adjust the launch direction of your shot.

Blue Flag on a Golf Cart

Not all flags are on the green and if you see a blue flag on the horizon moving about this is not a new type of moving hole to make things difficult for you. ( honestly how long till that is thought of though!) It is likely found to be on top of a golf cart and signals that the player is allowed to drive closer to the green as they may have mobility issues and need some assistance.

Low Light Flags

In addition to the standard rectangular flag, there are also other types of flags that are used on the golf course. For example, some golf courses use a flagstick with a strobe light attached to the top, which flashes to indicate the location of the hole in low light or reduced visibility conditions like that early morning foggy autumn round.

Someone also helpfully made a video on this as well!, at least for blue, Red and white green flags.

Conclusion

Flags are primarily used to give information to golfers on the location of the pin (hole) on the green of the hole. Red, Blue and white show if the hole is at the front, back or in the middle respectively.

However there are other flags on the course that also give information, black flags may indicate hazards like water or sand, orange and yellow may indicate a relocated temporary hole, or a temporary tournament or charity match hole.

It is worth checking before you start your round, especially if playing a tournament on what the particular course uses to indicate its hole positions.