Flag In or Out - interesting article.

Well this is entirely at odds with all the previous research that was done that said leaving it in was better. Now I don't know what to think.
 
Well this is entirely at odds with all the previous research that was done that said leaving it in was better. Now I don't know what to think.

Some annoying person will just ask you to attend it anyways 😂
 
I've been leaving it in 95% of the time, I only take it out when the flagstick looks like it's leaning towards me or to one side. It's partly because of the prior research that said it was beneficial, but honestly it's more out of laziness and just easier to leave it in.
 
My logic goes as follows:

Likely not to hole due to distance, flag stays in to save time and better judgement of pace.

Likely putt to hole, flag comes out to focus on holing.

Certain to hole, flag stays in to save time if not already out.
 
My logic goes as follows:

Likely not to hole due to distance, flag stays in to save time and better judgement of pace.

Likely putt to hole, flag comes out to focus on holing.

Certain to hole, flag stays in to save time if not already out.

That verbalises what I do!
 
I tended one for a mate on Easter Monday. It was a real novelty. It was a big green but the flag was leaning towards him.

First time I've done that this year.

Funny how something that felt so normal not that long ago now feels so alien.
 
Does it depend on how fat the pin is?

Played last week on my own so left them all in, the pins were quite fat and I’m sure it was unhelpful compared to pin out.

Could be wrong
 
I am a " flag out" man, unless it's a long way away. Reason? I tapped a short putt to the hole a couple of weeks ago, and it hit the pin and bounced straight out.
So short putts, flag out. Long putts , flag in. Don't like the faffing around of flag in for one, and flag out for someone else, so I am conscious of what the others in my group want to do.
If you have regular partners, we are getting to know what each player wants.
 
Happy to leave in at all times, whether 2ft away, 20ft or 200ft
 
Does it depend on how fat the pin is?

Played last week on my own so left them all in, the pins were quite fat and I’m sure it was unhelpful compared to pin out.

Could be wrong
I'm with you. A couple of local courses have really thin pins and ours are the "normal" size so I think there is less issue with the smaller ones. I have been taking it out from 10 feet and less as I feel the hole looks bigger and I can putt with more confidence. I think perhaps that says something more about my poor putting of late
 
I am a " flag out" man, unless it's a long way away. Reason? I tapped a short putt to the hole a couple of weeks ago, and it hit the pin and bounced straight out.
So short putts, flag out. Long putts , flag in. Don't like the faffing around of flag in for one, and flag out for someone else, so I am conscious of what the others in my group want to do.
If you have regular partners, we are getting to know what each player wants.

How short is short..?
Every time I've played solo in the last 25 years I've putted with the flag in.
The only time I've had a putt hit the flag from short range and bounce out has been because I've hit the putt too hard for it to drop if the flag was out.
I'm convinced that if the ball hits the flag and doesn't drop then it was highly unlikely to drop if the flag was out.
I'm a flag in kinda guy!!
 
Top