Flag in / flag out debate

[rulefan]

No, NOT like those atrocities.

HID has a 'gripper' attached to the end of her putter. Works brilliantly with stick in or out.

 

[KenL]

HID has a 'gripper' attached to the end of her putter. Works brilliantly with stick in or out.

Seen people damage edge of holes with those!

 

[rulefan]

Seen people damage edge of holes with those!

No chance with this one.

 

[KenL]

No chance with this one.

Got a link/pic?

 

[rulefan]

Got a link/pic?

Sorry, I know nothing about it and can't check as she's out on the course.

 

[D-S]

The ball retrievers thingies work well when run vertically into the hole parallel to the pin, however I have seen a lot of people using the edge of the hole as the guide when putting them into the hole. This is not the end of the world when green are firm but with soft greens you end up with holes with scalloped edges.

 

[Neilds]

The ball retrievers thingies work well when run vertically into the hole parallel to the pin, however I have seen a lot of people using the edge of the hole as the guide when putting them into the hole. This is not the end of the world when green are firm but with soft greens you end up with holes with scalloped edges.

Bigger holes - Delc would be well pleased (historical reference for those who remember )

 

[Jigger]

I don't buy this. Really not sure how an off centre putt has more chance of going in with the flag in. Surely glancing off the flag is going to deflect it whereas no flag the ball has more chance of dropping.
Whatever they think, flag out for me.

I’m personally not fussed either way but started leaving the flag in if it has been take out already and I see noticeably less bounce outs to previous lip outs. It also means I have something smaller to focus on and can hit the putt much firmer.

 

[Pants]

I think you're both right actually. Old people and low handicappers have something in common - both stuck in their ways/habits and don't like change.

Or maybe, from experience, they know something that you don't

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Or maybe, from experience, they know something that you don't

During 98% of their golfing career, could be less?, they knew nothing else. The flag had to be out largely, no choice in the matter. That's a lot of ingrained behaviour to unlearn.

Since the first year of flag in I've only seen one bounce out and that was a putt that was massively over hit and quite possibly wouldn't have even hit the back of the hole had the flag not been there. I think flag out, unless the pins are thick, is largely psychological. That's fine, so much of golf is fine margins of psychology.

 

[clubchamp98]

During 98% of their golfing career, could be less?, they knew nothing else. The flag had to be out largely, no choice in the matter. That's a lot of ingrained behaviour to unlearn.

Since the first year of flag in I've only seen one bounce out and that was a putt that was massively over hit and quite possibly wouldn't have even hit the back of the hole had the flag not been there. I think flag out, unless the pins are thick, is largely psychological. That's fine, so much of golf is fine margins of psychology.

Yes totally agree.
But can’t see what the problem is.
everyone has the choice to have the flag as they want it.
But some are not satisfied with this choice and want everyone to bow to their wishes.
where anywhere else would you be unsatisfied with a choice. I just don’t understand it!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes totally agree.
But can’t see what the problem is.
everyone has the choice to have the flag as they want it.
But some are not satisfied with this choice and want everyone to bow to their wishes.
where anywhere else would you be unsatisfied with a choice. I just don’t understand it!

The issue seems to be an aversion to having to play hokey-kokey. Though correct me if I’m wrong but it seems to be the ‘flag-inners’ who do most complaining on that front when all that ‘outers’ are doing is exercising their historical precedence and right under the rules. Indeed the ‘outers’ could equally complain but, in my experience at least, they don’t.

 

[KenL]

The issue seems to be an aversion to having to play hokey-kokey. Though correct me if I’m wrong but it seems to be the ‘flag-inners’ who do most complaining on that front when all that ‘outers’ are doing is exercising their historical precedence and right under the rules. Indeed the ‘outers’ could equally complain but, in my experience at least, they don’t.

I've never heard anyone complain at my club.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I've never heard anyone complain at my club.

It’s rare at my place these days as more of us revert to flag out for most putts other than the ‘longest’.

I realised yesterday that my rule of thumb for in or out is that I have it in if the hole looks like a line or less. When I can see the hole as an oval, even a rather thin one, I’ll usually have it out.

 

[KenL]

It’s rare at my place these days as more of us revert to flag out for most putts other than the ‘longest’.

I realised yesterday that my rule of thumb for in or out is that I have it in if the hole looks like a line or less. When I can see the hole as an oval, even a rather thin one, I’ll usually have it out.

Agreed, I definitely prefer it left in if I can't see the hole clearly.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Agreed, I definitely prefer it left in if I can't see the hole clearly.

…when I am over the ball rather than standing by it.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The issue seems to be an aversion to having to play hokey-kokey. Though correct me if I’m wrong but it seems to be the ‘flag-inners’ who do most complaining on that front when all that ‘outers’ are doing is exercising their historical precedence and right under the rules. Indeed the ‘outers’ could equally complain but, in my experience at least, they don’t.

In my experience, those who like it left in leave it in unless they are playing with an outie. The flag gets left in until the outie putts, then it is simply left out for the remainder of that hole. I have yet to see an in person request it to be put back in once removed.

I've never heard an outie complain about a flag being removed. I reckon I play with about 20 % outie players, the bulk just leave it in now.

'Their historical right and precedence'. Are you Nicholas Witchel in disguise?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

In my experience, those who like it left in leave it in unless they are playing with an outie. The flag gets left in until the outie putts, then it is simply left out for the remainder of that hole. I have yet to see an in person request it to be put back in once removed.

I've never heard an outie complain about a flag being removed. I reckon I play with about 20 % outie players, the bulk just leave it in now.

'Their historical right and precedence'

BIB. Does happen a fair bit (though not a huge amount) in my experience. Flag inner asking it to be put back in after an outer has putted.

My place, certainly with the large number of guys I play with, we seem to have moved to majority outers. And yes…of course historically flag out was how it was and so outers have that precedence for their choice.

 

[jim8flog]

I confirmed yesterday that I am definite flag out guy.

I hit the flagstick with the tee shot on the 230 par 3 hole yesterday and the ball finished off the green

 

[Backsticks]

The issue seems to be an aversion to having to play hokey-kokey. Though correct me if I’m wrong but it seems to be the ‘flag-inners’ who do most complaining on that front when all that ‘outers’ are doing is exercising their historical precedence and right under the rules. Indeed the ‘outers’ could equally complain but, in my experience at least, they don’t.

Yes, the hokey kokey i the annoyance. And yes, flag inners do the most complaining. But understandably so - they see the flag outers as luddites, and not embracing the new way, even though the old way is still legal.