Flags Out????

[Deleted Member 1156]

It can never be necessary since they changed the rule on it - it would just be their own quirky preference.

Of course it can be necessary if that person deems it so. The person playing the shot decides what is necessary end of.

 

[Orikoru]

Of course it can be necessary if that person deems it so. The person playing the shot decides what is necessary end of.

Well, no, you're wrong. It was necessary when the rule said the ball couldn't hit the flag, but you were far enough away that you couldn't see the hole. Now the rule doesn't say that, you can just leave the flag in, so it cannot be 'necessary' to have it attended. It would just be your preference to do that.

 

[USER1999]

I remember playing in a medal with this guy who wanted to look at every putt from behind the ball and behind the hole. He must have been watching the pros do it on tv.

He did it on the first 4 holes. Got to the 5th green, his ball has trickled on to the front left of the green, pin is back right. We're all standing around the green waiting, I'm attending the flag while he crouches behind the ball. He then starts striding up the green to look at the putt from behind the hole. It must have been over 100 feet, that's a 60 yard round trip. So you're saying that doesn't waste time?

My playing partner told him to hurry up. In hindsight it was pretty funny.

No more than aim point would.

There are plenty of ways to waste time playing golf. Some have the effect of reducing the number of shots, some don't. Personally, I would ban having a line on the golf ball for alignment. I don't think it works, and it takes time that in my view is unnecessary. I would never criticise someone for doing it.

 

[KenL]

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Well, no, you're wrong. It was necessary when the rule said the ball couldn't hit the flag, but you were far enough away that you couldn't see the hole. Now the rule doesn't say that, you can just leave the flag in, so it cannot be 'necessary' to have it attended. It would just be your preference to do that.

I play on an exposed course over looking the North Sea, I’ve had pp’s hold the flag upright with their putter as the wind can be that bad, so in future if on some of our greens I was far enough away to want the flag attended rather than left in as it is leaning towards me why would you see that as outdated?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

View attachment 36212

Nobody is questioning that, now show us were it says having the flag ATTENDED slows play down.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

If we were playing a hole and I told you it's not necessary to hit driver use 3 wood instead because I prefer that club off the tee but your preference was to hit driver would you put it back in the bag and hit 3 w? Of course you wouldn't, you go with your preferred choice.

 

[theoneandonly]

Nobody is questioning that, now show us were it says having the flag ATTENDED slows play down.

How can it not? I'd be wasting my time tending the flag when I could be doing something else..

 

[KenL]

Nobody is questioning that, now show us were it says having the flag ATTENDED slows play down.

Is this clear enough?

???

 

[theoneandonly]

If we were playing a hole and I told you it's not necessary to hit driver use 3 wood instead because I prefer that club off the tee but your preference was to hit driver would you put it back in the bag and hit 3 w? Of course you wouldn't, you go with your preferred choice.

That's just weird whatiffery.
There is no longer any reason to have the flag tended.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

That's just weird whatiffery.
There is no longer any reason to have the flag tended.

If someone looks at a putt and feels more confident about holing it with the flag tended then they are perfectly within their rights regardless of what you think.

 

[RichA]

Re the bit in bold:
You play in a Comp/Open/Society day whatever and you are drawn with strangers, introduce yourself on the first tee and off you go, early on in the round a pp asks you to attend the flag and as you don’t know them are you going to refuse?

Of course not. I did not say I would refuse any reasonable request. If someone asks for help, I will gladly offer it. If someone clearly needs help, I will not wait to be asked, in any scenario in life.
I just like self-sufficiency.

If courtesy isn't expected, then as an example, you won't mind if I just reply by saying you're an idiot?

Now, I'm obviously joking to make the point but courtesy is a reasonable expectation to have in life.

It I was to ask my playing partners to participate in a prayer to the Green Man before every putt, because it was part of my superstitious pre-shot routine, would you consider it discourteous to refuse? That's how I feel about tended flags. It's a psychological crutch that you might as well leave in the past.

 

[Orikoru]

I play on an exposed course over looking the North Sea, I’ve had pp’s hold the flag upright with their putter as the wind can be that bad, so in future if on some of our greens I was far enough away to want the flag attended rather than left in as it is leaning towards me why would you see that as outdated?

I wouldn't call that attending the flag because there's no requirement to pull it out when the ball approaches. What you're saying is more steadying the flag.

 

[theoneandonly]

If someone looks at a putt and feels more confident about holing it with the flag tended then they are perfectly within their rights regardless of what you think.

They sure can, but i'm not doing it for them.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Is this clear enough?
View attachment 36213
???

You mean the bit that CLEARLY STATES A PLAYER WILL “CONTINUE TO HAVE A CHOICE TO HAVE IT REMOVED (WHICH INCLUDES HAVING SOMEONE ATTEND THE FLAGSTICK”

Therefore, if you play the game, respect the rules and respect your pp choice, IT’S NOT YOUR DECISION TO MAKE WHETHER SOMEONE ELSE WANTS THE FLAGSTICK ATTENDED.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I wouldn't call that attending the flag because there's no requirement to pull it out when the ball approaches. What you're saying is more steadying the flag.

I want it left in so I can see were the hole is, I want it out incase it deflects off the Flagstick, the only way to do both is to have it attended.

 

[KenL]

You mean the bit that CLEARLY STATES A PLAYER WILL “CONTINUE TO HAVE A CHOICE TO HAVE IT REMOVED (WHICH INCLUDES HAVING SOMEONE ATTEND THE FLAGSTICK”

Therefore, if you play the game, respect the rules and respect your pp choice, IT’S NOT YOUR DECISION TO MAKE WHETHER SOMEONE ELSE WANTS THE FLAGSTICK ATTENDED.

Do you have me confused with someone else?
I have not said I wouldn't do it if asked.
People pushed for evidence that having the flag tended slowed down play. The decision makers in the game believe that it does.
I would not ask for a pin to be tended now as I believe there is zero need for it.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

They sure can, but i'm not doing it for them.

Good for you ?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I think that matchplay was the time when tending was necessary and a faff.
If one player was on the green but further away than his opponent, who was off the green. The one, in the bunker say, had to tend for the one on the green.

Removing that will speed up play, but it was rare.

 

[KenL]

I want it left in so I can see were the hole is, I want it out incase it deflects off the Flagstick, the only way to do both is to have it attended.

How often would you hole a putt that you need attended?
These tour stats (2010) are interesting:
https://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/51757-pga-tour-putts-gainedmake-percentage-stats/
Tour pros only hole 7% of 30 footers and 3% of 50 footers.
Are people who continue to ask for the flag to be tended kidding myself on about it being necessary?