Flag etiquette

[r0wly86]

Have a search for the Where do you stand when your playing partners are teeing off thread from a couple of years ago!

The first to putt takes the flag out and the last to putt out replaces it after they’ve marked the card, always works out best for us and we never get held up anywhere on the course!

As a junior I was taught never to mark the card on the green, but to vacate as quickly as possible to allow the group behind to play and mark the card on the next tee

 

[Capella]

As a junior I was taught never to mark the card on the green, but to vacate as quickly as possible to allow the group behind to play and mark the card on the next tee

Yup! Definitely. People who mark their cards while still on the green should be shot. Or at least be banned from golf for eternity. There is no point in even discussing ready golf as long as people still do that. And if you are the first to tee off on the next hole, then for god's sake, tee off and mark the card after that, while the others play their tee shots. You should be able to memorize two hopefully single digit numbers for about a minute. I am very tolerant with players being slow because they take their time over a shot. I don't even mind them taking 5 or more practice swings, if it helps their game (or they think it does). But players dawdling around on the green after the ball is holed or standing around at or on the tee even though they could tee off drive me absolutely bananas.

 

[r0wly86]

Yup! Definitely. People who mark their cards while still on the green should be shot. Or at least be banned from golf for eternity. There is no point in even discussing ready golf as long as people still do that. And if you are the first to tee off on the next hole, then for god's sake, tee off and mark the card after that, while the others play their tee shots. You should be able to memorize two hopefully single digit numbers for about a minute. I am very tolerant with players being slow because they take their time over a shot. I don't even mind them taking 5 or more practice swings, if it helps their game (or they think it does). But players dawdling around on the green after the ball is holed or standing around at or on the tee even though they could tee off drive me absolutely bananas.

Agree with the dawdling, the one that really gets me is when people leave their bags/trolleys on the opposite side of the green to the next tee. So after putting out and replacing the flag the then have to walk the wrong way, get their clubs then go around the green again. 2 seconds of planning is all it takes

 

[Slab]

Yup! Definitely. People who mark their cards while still on the green should be shot. Or at least be banned from golf for eternity. There is no point in even discussing ready golf as long as people still do that. And if you are the first to tee off on the next hole, then for god's sake, tee off and mark the card after that, while the others play their tee shots. You should be able to memorize two hopefully single digit numbers for about a minute. I am very tolerant with players being slow because they take their time over a shot. I don't even mind them taking 5 or more practice swings, if it helps their game (or they think it does). But players dawdling around on the green after the ball is holed or standing around at or on the tee even though they could tee off drive me absolutely bananas.

Maybe just lucky but I’ve never seen a group of players all stand around marking the cards after the hole is finished. Maybe it’s another one of these myths

It’s sound logic for the mythical 3 or 4 ball who all wait until the last putt is in before they then all mark the cards, while still standing on the green, for me though it just doesn’t happen like that in real life

Sure the 1st 2nd to putt out might mark their card on the green but the rest of the group haven’t putted out yet so what’s the harm (even a player marking a score down while the flag is being put back isn’t delaying the following group a jot) and a chunk of the time the card will be with the bag/trolley anyway so it’s just not possible)

I get that when you’re following on a slow day even waiting a nanosecond longer than necessary is compounded in the heads of the following group (heaven help a player who drops their ball marker or glove and you can hear the click click as the sights get adjusted on the tee-box as they bend to retrieve it)

A shame if any club is blighted with the problem though

p.s if i had a choice give me one practice swing and mark card while walking off the green any-day, difficult to watch someone practice that much on each shot

 

[r0wly86]

Maybe just lucky but I’ve never seen a group of players all stand around marking the cards after the hole is finished. Maybe it’s another one of these myths

It’s sound logic for the mythical 3 or 4 ball who all wait until the last putt is in before they then all mark the cards, while still standing on the green, for me though it just doesn’t happen like that in real life

Sure the 1st 2nd to putt out might mark their card on the green but the rest of the group haven’t putted out yet so what’s the harm (even a player marking a score down while the flag is being put back isn’t delaying the following group a jot) and a chunk of the time the card will be with the bag/trolley anyway so it’s just not possible)

I get that when you’re following on a slow day even waiting a nanosecond longer than necessary is compounded in the heads of the following group (heaven help a player who drops their ball marker or glove and you can hear the click click as the sights get adjusted on the tee-box as they bend to retrieve it)

A shame if any club is blighted with the problem though

p.s if i had a choice give me one practice swing and mark card while walking off the green any-day, difficult to watch someone practice that much on each shot

It's more the players that walk to the side of the green and mark their cards by their bags that happen the most often. They are off the green technically but you still can't play your approach

 

[Slab]

It's more the players that walk to the side of the green and mark their cards by their bags that happen the most often. They are off the green technically but you still can't play your approach

I'm just being a devil today but it's the same for the bag, if you approach from the opposite side but are first to putt, don’t dare time-waste taking your bag round to the exit

Get your bag down and take your putt. Someone else will put do the flag in/out (just to keep it on topic) to give you plenty time to join them at the exit

Sure the group on the tee will go apoplectic cos they have no idea what’s going on (or only arrive to see the exit not the entry) and can’t see through the red-mist, but its quicker that way

Regardless where you leave the bag/mark the card, if its done expediently no time is wasted for the following group

Surely the sound advice of leave bag at exit/mark on next tee is needed only by those who cant do the above

 

[r0wly86]

I'm just being a devil today but it's the same for the bag, if you approach from the opposite side but are first to putt, don’t dare time-waste taking your bag round to the exit

Get your bag down and take your putt. Someone else will put do the flag in/out (just to keep it on topic) to give you plenty time to join them at the exit

Sure the group on the tee will go apoplectic cos they have no idea what’s going on (or only arrive to see the exit not the entry) and can’t see through the red-mist, but its quicker that way

Regardless where you leave the bag/mark the card, if its done expediently no time is wasted for the following group

Surely the sound advice of leave bag at exit/mark on next tee is needed only by those who cant do the above

In that situation, say you have put your approach to the left of the green and the next tee is to the right. I will put my bag behind the green rather than on the left side, if I don't have time to put it on the correct side. Whilst I'm doing this the other player will be making their chips or putts. Or alternatively if I know what club I will be using, I will put my bag on the right hand side and take my putter and chosen club with me.

Obviously there will be exceptions but too many times I see people take their whole bag to the wrong side for a putt, then hole out then faff about, where just a little thought would save time.

 

[Slab]

In that situation, say you have put your approach to the left of the green and the next tee is to the right. I will put my bag behind the green rather than on the left side, if I don't have time to put it on the correct side. Whilst I'm doing this the other player will be making their chips or putts. Or alternatively if I know what club I will be using, I will put my bag on the right hand side and take my putter and chosen club with me.

Obviously there will be exceptions but too many times I see people take their whole bag to the wrong side for a putt, then hole out then faff about, where just a little thought would save time.

Yeah I agree that sounds like an expedient way to do it. Naturally it all depends on where the player approaches from, where their ball lies, where the flag is, where ball/flag is in relation to other balls, when a player arrives in relation to when other players arrive and where the exit is.
While its not a complex formula it isn't answered by a set in stone 'leave your bag at the exit' maybe for the thoughtless it should be 'if in doubt leave your bag at the exit' but there seems little trust from a following group that you might not do that and its actually to their benefit

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

As a junior I was taught never to mark the card on the green, but to vacate as quickly as possible to allow the group behind to play and mark the card on the next tee

Our club received posters to put up in the club this week with this being one of the features. I assume they were sent out by R & A.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Our club received posters to put up in the club this week with this being one of the features. I assume they were sent out by R & A.

Our club will no doubt put this up in the changing room. Unfortunately no one goes into the changing room so it will be ignored along with the other notices put up there. I have tried to point this out but to no avail.

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Our club will no doubt put this up in the changing room. Unfortunately no one goes into the changing room so it will be ignored along with the other notices put up there. I have tried to point this out but to no avail.

Ours are placed above the urinals so most of the members cannot miss them.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

But in respect of fag etiquette - remember - if a player is off the green and playing - then do not stand within easy arms length reach of the flag. Even if all you are doing is being ready to remove it for putting to commence, you are deemed to be attending it, and if the player playing on hits the flag then he is penalised unless he clearly asked you to move before he played (is this rule being changed in the proposed revisions?)

 

[pogle]

Ours are placed above the urinals so most of the members cannot miss them.

Not sure if this comment was meant to be funny or not, but it made me laugh.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sadly I've witnessed players leave their bag by the green at the furthest point from the next tee so have to walk back to that and then watched them stop and mark a card before walking back across the green to join the others. Some golfers simply have to concept of what they are doing, and it's effect and are in their own bubble and as long as their day isn't being spoilt sod everyone else

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Not sure if this comment was meant to be funny or not, but it made me laugh.

See what you mean now I read it again.

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

But in respect of fag etiquette - remember - if a player is off the green and playing - then do not stand within easy arms length reach of the flag.

Is that because you will get burnt by the offending fag?

 

[cookelad]

As a junior I was taught never to mark the card on the green, but to vacate as quickly as possible to allow the group behind to play and mark the card on the next tee

And there I was thinking that was an obvious “tongue in cheek” statement.

 

[cliveb]

I like to play a game. Can I go an entire 18 holes without touching the pin at any stage, but without anybody noticing I am doing this.. Not as easy as it sounds.

Reminds me of an incident in Florida. A fourball are at the 17th green:

"hey bud, how much do you think this flag weighs?"
"golly, I have no idea"
"doesn't surprise me, you haven't touched it for the entire ***ing round"

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Is that because you will get burnt by the offending fag?

Yes - just spotted that.

Now don't get me started on fag etiquette I can pick up any old rubbish dropped on the course - I cannot pick up fag ends - so smokers - just don't drop them. There - I got on to it and got it off my chest.

 

[Griffsters]

Some golfers simply have to concept of what they are doing, and it's effect and are in their own bubble and as long as their day isn't being spoilt sod everyone else

Sadly, this describes society in general and not just golfers.