Flag Golf Game (Tombstone): The Rules
Flag — also called Tombstone, and “Course au Drapeau” in France — turns the usual logic of golf on its head: you no longer compare scorecards, you run a race. Each player gets a stroke budget equal to the total par of the course plus their handicap: on a par 72, a player with a handicap of 15 has 87 strokes. You then play normally, taking every stroke off your budget. When it runs out, you plant your flag at the exact spot where your ball lies — and the flag planted furthest round the course wins. If your budget hasn't run out by the 18th hole, your flag is planted on the 18th green. The suspense is visual: you can literally see how far everyone got, and every stroke saved early in the round becomes a yard gained at the end. A format for 2 to 4 players, easy to follow, that completely transforms a round among friends.
How to play Flag
- Work out each player's budget: total course par + handicap. On a par 72, a player with a handicap of 15 has 87 strokes.
- Play normally, taking every stroke you play off your budget.
- Last stroke played? Plant your flag at the exact spot where your ball lies: that is where your race ends.
- Budget not used up by the 18th hole: your flag is planted on the 18th green.
- The flag planted furthest round the course wins.
| Player's handicap | Stroke budget (par 72 course) |
|---|---|
| 8 | 72 + 8 = 80 strokes |
| 15 | 72 + 15 = 87 strokes |
| 24 | 72 + 24 = 96 strokes |
Par 72 course. Inès (handicap 15) starts with a budget of 87 strokes, Mathieu (handicap 8) with 80. Mathieu attacks and burns through his budget faster than planned: his 80th stroke leaves him on the 16th green → flag planted on hole 16. Inès, more consistent, plays her 87th stroke into the middle of the 18th fairway → flag on hole 18. Inès wins: her flag is the furthest round the course.
Why golfers love Flag
- The suspense is visual. You can literally see how far everyone got round the course — no need to decipher a scorecard to know who won.
- The logic of golf is turned upside down. You no longer compare totals: you run a race, and each player moves forward at their own pace with their own budget.
- Every stroke counts double. A stroke saved on hole 3 is a yard gained on the 18th — the tension is there from the first tee shot to the last putt.
Strategy: play like a manager
A triple bogey on hole 3 will cost you yards on the 18th. Play like a manager: safety on the dangerous holes, no needless heroics. And keep an eye on your remaining budget so you know when to attack — or hold back — on the closing holes. In this format, consistency almost always beats flashes of brilliance.
Frequently asked questions
How do you work out the stroke budget?
Each player's budget equals the total par of the course plus their handicap. On a par 72, a player with a handicap of 15 therefore has 87 strokes for the whole round; a player with a handicap of 8 gets 80.
Where do you plant your flag?
At the exact spot where the ball comes to rest when the last stroke of the budget has been played. That is where your race ends: the flag planted furthest round the course wins.
What happens if the budget hasn't run out by the 18th hole?
The flag is then planted on the 18th green. Finishing the course with strokes still in hand is the best possible result in this format.
Why is Flag fair between players of different abilities?
Because the budget includes the handicap: a player with a handicap of 24 gets more strokes than a player with a handicap of 8. Everyone runs the race with the resources of their level, and it is how you manage your budget that makes the difference.
Every format on a single page: step-by-step rules, a worked example, the points scale and a strategy tip — to read the night before a round or to print. The free sample covers 10 formats, including the 5 you can play for free in the app; Flag is in the complete guide.
Download the free sample →PDF · 14 pages · direct download, no email needed · the complete guide covers all 41 formats
Plant your flag further than everyone else
The Game of Swing app works out each player's budget, counts down the remaining strokes live and records the hole where each flag is planted. Flag is waiting in the catalogue of 41 formats — with 5 free games to get you started.
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