Double Green
A double green is a single, oversized putting surface shared by two different holes on a golf course, with a separate hole and flagstick for each.
What is a double green?
A double green is one continuous putting surface that serves two holes at once. Rather than building two smaller, separate greens, the course puts both holes on the same expanse of turf. Each hole keeps its own cup and its own flagstick, so a golfer sees two flags standing on the same green and has to aim at the correct one.
These greens are big. They have to be, since they hold two targets and often two groups of players putting at the same time, each finishing a different hole. According to golf writer Brent Kelley at LiveAbout, a double green is large enough for two groups to play it simultaneously, each to their own hole.
The design mostly comes down to space and tradition. On old links courses laid out on narrow strips of coastal land, sharing a green let designers fit an out-and-back routing into a tight footprint, and it cut down on the ground that had to be built and maintained. Modern architects sometimes add one as a nod to that history or to solve a similar space problem.
How a double green works during a round
The feature that trips up first-timers is the second flag. Because two holes share the surface, a golfer standing in the fairway sees two pins and has to know which one belongs to the hole being played. The scorecard or yardage book usually clears this up, noting something like “hole 7, left flag.”
Size is the other adjustment. A double green can run several times longer than a standard green, so approach shots and putts cover far more ground, and a putt of 60, 80, or even 100 feet is possible when the ball finishes on the far side from the cup. Slope reading matters more too. The contours across such a wide surface can change direction more than once, and a line that looks straight from one angle may not be.
Etiquette shifts too. Two groups often share the green, so players stay aware of who else is putting and keep clear of the other group’s line while waiting their turn.
Double green vs. dual (or alternate) green
The terms sound alike and get mixed up constantly, but they describe opposite ideas. A double green is one surface with two holes. A dual green, also called an alternate green, is two separate surfaces built for a single hole, with only one in play at a time.
| Feature | Double green | Dual / alternate green |
|---|---|---|
| Putting surfaces | One shared surface | Two separate surfaces |
| Holes served | Two different holes | One hole |
| Flags in play | Two at once | One (the other green rests) |
| Common on | Old links courses in Britain and Ireland | 9-hole courses; some courses in Japan and Korea |
| Reason it exists | Saves space; links tradition | Fresh look on a second loop; seasonal or maintenance rotation |
As Golf Compendium explains, dual greens turn up most often on 9-hole courses, where golfers play one set of greens on the front nine and the other set on the back nine to make the second loop feel different. Some courses in Japan and Korea build a second green on each hole and switch between them by season, using different grasses for hot and cold months.
So the quick test is simple: count the surfaces. Two flags on one green is a double green. One flag on a green with a spare green nearby is a dual green.
Where double greens come from
No course is tied to the double green like the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland, the place often called the home of golf. Seven of its greens are shared by two holes each, which means 14 of the 18 holes play to a double green. Only the 1st, 9th, 17th, and 18th holes have their own putting surfaces, a layout Golf Monthly traces back to Old Tom Morris separating the 1st and 17th greens in the late 1800s.
There is a quirk to the pairings. On every shared green at the Old Course, the two hole numbers add up to 18: the 2nd shares with the 16th, the 5th with the 13th, and so on down to the 8th and 10th. The largest of them, shared by the 5th and 13th, measures 37,846 square feet according to Turf & Rec, bigger than many practice putting greens.
Double greens show up elsewhere, usually on older or links-style courses in Britain and Ireland, and occasionally on parkland courses. They stay rare overall, which is part of why so many golfers meet one for the first time and pause at the sight of two flags.
The wrong-green rule on a double green
There is a rules wrinkle worth knowing. Under the Rules of Golf written by the USGA and R&A, the entire double green counts as the putting green for whichever hole a golfer is playing. A ball resting anywhere on the surface, even close to the other hole, is treated as being on the green and can be putted normally.
Two exceptions apply. The other hole, the one not being played, counts as ground under repair, so a golfer whose ball or line runs across it gets free relief. And a committee can choose to divide a double green with a defined edge, which turns the far portion into a “wrong green” that requires relief under Rule 13.1f. According to National Club Golfer, the Old Course treats its double greens as a single surface, so no dividing line applies there.
The practical point: on most double greens the whole surface is fair to putt from, but a glance at the scorecard or local rules sheet confirms whether the club has split it.
Related Golf Terms
- Run-off area — A slope that feeds missed shots away from the green.
- Collection area — A low spot where errant shots gather around a green.
- Greenside bunker — A sand hazard located beside the putting green.
- False front — A sloping front edge of a green that rejects short shots.
- Revetted bunker — A deep links bunker with stacked-turf walls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do golf courses have double greens?
Mostly to save space and honor tradition. On narrow links land, one large shared green fit two holes where two separate greens would not, and it reduced construction and upkeep. Some modern designers add them as a tribute to classic courses.
How do you know which flag to aim at on a double green?
The scorecard or yardage book almost always notes the correct side, and many courses post a small sign at the tee. When in doubt, a golfer can confirm with playing partners before hitting.
Are double greens and dual greens the same thing?
No. A double green is one surface serving two holes. A dual or alternate green is two separate surfaces built for the same hole, with only one used at a time.
How big can a double green get?
Large. The biggest at St Andrews, shared by the 5th and 13th, covers 37,846 square feet, several times the size of a typical single green.
What happens if a ball lands near the other hole on a double green?
In most cases, the whole surface is the putting green, so the ball is simply putted. The other hole itself counts as ground under repair for free relief, and a few courses formally divide the green, so checking the local rules is wise.
Sources
- USGA and R&A. “Rules of Golf, Rule 13: Putting Greens” (and the Definition of Putting Green). Accessed August 2026.
https://www.randa.org/en/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-13 - Kelley, Brent. “Defining the Green (or ‘Putting Green’) on Golf Courses.” LiveAbout. Accessed August 2026.
https://www.liveabout.com/green-or-putting-green-1560868 - “What Are Dual Greens (Alternate Greens) on a Golf Course?” Golf Compendium. Accessed August 2026.
https://www.golfcompendium.com/2026/01/dual-greens-alternate-greens.html - “How Many Shared Greens Are There At St Andrews?” Golf Monthly. Accessed August 2026.
https://www.golfmonthly.com/tour/open-championship/how-many-shared-greens-are-there-at-st-andrews - “Rules of Golf explained: the other hole on a double green is in my way.” National Club Golfer. Accessed August 2026.
https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/rules/rules-of-golf-explained-double-green-hole/ - “Grounds upkeep at the home of golf.” Turf and Rec. Accessed August 2026.
https://www.turfandrec.com/grounds-upkeep-at-the-home-of-golf/
