Flagstick Hell

DonM · 2019-03-17T15:25:58+00:00

OK, I'm overstating it a bit. But those of you whose seasons have not yet begun, get ready for, uh, flagstick annoyance whenever you play in a foursome of n...

Weirfan

DonM I liked the rule change, but in practice it isn't as convenient as it sounds. With some hothead gets involved in a foursome, I can see this blowing up.

If these are friends/ playing partners who do this , find new ones.
If strangers, tell them to go ahead and you will follow them.

darpar

In our regular foursomes for league play we've been leaving the pin in,and we find it does speed up play.
Today we played with a couple from SLC,and the guy's wife wouldn't putt til someone pulled the flag.
Only putt she made all day was from off the green....with flag still in!

garyt1957

When I play by myself I always leave the pin in. And I tend to putt better. But I'm not sure if it's because of the pin is in or I'm just more relaxed when playing alone. I have seen a few people say it's easier to read greens with the flag in.

mikeintopeka

I made my maiden voyage into 2019 golf around a local golf track today when invited by a friend to join his group. 1st hole one of the guys just starts putting until he holed it (2 putt). I'm now away and leave it in from about 12 feet and jar it to save par. I'm thinking "Mikey gonna be likin' this". All the guys left it in until the 8th hole when my approach is closest to the pin and I walk by and yank the flag out totally out of habit. I took 2 steps, stopped dead in my tracks, and apologized as I turned around and replaced it.

Coincidence? It was the fastest weekend round I ever remember recording on this really nice muni course that was packed with the promise of spring around the corner. There just seemed to be a smooth flow to the game not touching the stick.

garyt1957

mikeintopeka I don't think there's any doubt it's faster if everybody leaves it in . It's when everyone wants something different where it can get sketchy

KCee

On our winter golf trip most of us were leaving it in. Just a couple of guys didn't like it when they were inside 10 ft or so which did get a bit annoying when they couldn't decide whether to leave it in or not from 10-15 ft. I did find it a bit weird when I had that uncomfortable 5-6 foot putt, but I just kept leaving it in.

sdandrea1

We leave it in. Pace of play is WAY better.

limpalong

Becoming a real problem with our group. We will need to have a "meeting" before it gets really out of hand this year. My eyesight is fading and I like it left in. Shorter putts, it really doesn't matter. The issue we are having is some folks making the decision for others.
Today, I almost lost it on #5. Long putt so left the pin in. All lined up and just ready to take the putter back and noticed movement in me peripheral vision. One of the guys was walking up between me and the hole to pull the pin without even paying attention to me not only wanting it left in... but in the motion of putting. Yesterday, we had one in the group who pulled it on every hole, as soon as all were on the green... never asking. That wasn't our "regular" group, but was tough to deal with. Again, with my eyesight, I would often have someone tend the flag on long putts. When someone just pulls it and I've got a 40 footer...……..
I don't see how the USGA can really have a do-over on this one without just rescinding the change and going back to having it removed or tended.

DonM

My impression so far is that more guys want it left in than out.
The ones who want it in are willing to go along with "whatever".
The ones who want it out cannot deal with putting with it in.
I'm telling you, as the season ramps up, it won't be long before we hear of this leading to arguments etc.

sdandrea1

DonM My impression so far is that more guys want it left in than out.
The ones who want it in are willing to go along with "whatever".

Exactly how it is in my camp.

sdandrea1

I blame the USGA........

Rickochet

Does leaving the pin in increase your chance of having a putt bounce off and not go in or does it increase the chance of a fast pace putt going in? I have been playing golf since '62 and I don't know because I haven't done it. And I doubt any others know either. From what I have seen on TV pro golf is that I have seen more balls hit the stick and go in than bounce off and out. I think too many people have an opinion about it with no fact and too many just want to pull it because they always have. And, I'll bet large number of golfers don't even know that there has been a rule change about the flag.

I haven't played a round yet this year but I am going to suggest to my regular group to try leaving the pin in for every shot for a few rounds and see how it goes.

sdandrea1

Rickochet Does leaving the pin in increase your chance of having a putt bounce off and not go in or does it increase the chance of a fast pace putt going in? I have been playing golf since '62 and I don't know because I haven't done it.

Depends on which "expert's" data you want to believe. I have played a shitload of practice rounds by myself over the years, and I always left it in, so I use my data. I prefer it in, not so much to help putts stop and drop, but as more of an aim point. For some reason, I putt more confidently and accurately with the pin in.

Sneakylong

Rickochet Does leaving the pin in increase your chance of having a putt bounce off and not go in or does it increase the chance of a fast pace putt going in? I have been playing golf since '62 and I don't know because I haven't done it. And I doubt any others know either

Again, watch Feherty's interview with Bryson DeChambeau (on this week). I saw it. He hits putts from one foot away with the force of going 5 feet by and 10 feet by with the stick in and stick out. The only putt that did not go in was the 10 foot past the hole putt with the flag stick out.

Also, if the flag stick is not all the way in and wobbles a bit, all the better. It deadens the collision even more. So, the jury seems to be in on that debate. If you want to make more putts leave it in.

garyt1957

sdandrea1 I could have wrote that word for word

kelco9

The other day I was able to play for the first time this year, so it was my first experience with the new flag stick rule. I must admit that I didn't like this rule when it was announced, but now that I have used it I'm totally sold on it. I didn't see one putt that was influenced by the pin one way or another, and our game was way faster. In fact, I think they should go one step further and make it illegal to pull the flag, that would deal with the flag stick hell that is described here and that I could see causing problems/delays. The only issue I had with it is when you hit it close enough that you didn't have to putt, I felt a little useless as I just stood around watching, rather than taking care of the pin for other players.

Sneakylong

kelco9 The only issue I had with it is when you hit it close enough that you didn't have to putt, I felt a little useless as I just stood around watching, rather than taking care of the pin for other players.

Start walking back to your bag and get ready to walk / ride to the next hole. Should help speed up play. That's what we do. The last guy putting may be alone on the green because no one needs to be there to replace the flag stick. Everyone shows etiquette and doesn't leave him behind though. We have everyone in our group leaving it in.

garyt1957

Sneakylong I find it kinda rude to walk off the green and leave one guy alone to putt out. I'll wait on the edge of the green till he finishes

Typhoon

Here's what I'm wondering...

People that never left it in start leaving it in. After awhile you go into a little putting slump. Are these people going to start blaming having the flagstick in the hole? Is this going to be another variable in people's heads when putting goes off the rails a bit?

Martee

We have had a meeting, for those who want the flag out, go for it, but unless someone speaks up, you are to put the flag back in. Oh, if you still have a putt remaining, do continous putting, the put the flag back in. 70% plus want the flag stick in.

This solutions seems to be working, but it is early.

Spuzz

Two years ago I played a lot of solo 9 holers and left the stick in on every hole except one.
On the one hole, you couldn't see the green down below the fairway, only the flagstick.
I always took it out to avoid the "hail."
I bet that hole will be slower to play as people will have to walk/drive to the crest of the hill to make the green is clear.
Other than these types of scenarios, I personally cannot see why the flag needs to come out at all, unless a group is all within a few feet of the hole. The hole does seem to appear to be "bigger" with the stick out, imo.

DonM

Spuzz Very interesting point!

lambo

We leave it in as a group. Usually the first player to walk by the flag stick checks to see that it is fully inserted and straight. I have yet to see a putt kept out of the hole because the flag stick was in, but I have seen at least a couple of putts go down on down hill putts when I know the player was praying it would hit the flag stick. A couple of the players will pull it for a 3 footer, but they are right there and it doesn't slow up play. If the flag in leaning into the player because of the wind, everyone has been courteous to inform the player next to putt.

I personally like it because it gives me a more defined target. I never liked someone tending the stick on a longer putt because it was always a visual distraction.

braveheart

Played twice so far with it in for the the two of us. My friend is a bit slow to get to his ball, so I was able to putt out at times, even when he is off the green. Works for us, but we shall see how it goes when we have a foursome or in league play. I will say for short putts it takes some getting used to. I felt like there was less room for it to go in.

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