Flags when you're on the green - still permanently in or back to how things were?

[JohnnyDee]

Setting aside the actual issue of Covid transmission itself. We are now able to revert to the way things used to be.

So, are you keeping the flags in still, or are tending / removing.

Personally I grew to hate making short putts with the pin in, and in the two rounds I've had since Monday I definitely prefer them the old way. In for longer putts and out once I get to around 15-20 feet.
How about you?

 

[KenL]

I put flexible but (lighting the touch paper here) not happy to be tending the pin for anyone. I certainly won't be asking anyone.

 

[jim8flog]

Generally for me it is flag out for an uphill putt and flag in for a downhill putt.

In the main for relatively flat I prefer flag out. Putts that hit the back of the cup rarely bounce out.

 

[Imurg]

I haven't putted with a flag out since the rule was changed a couple of years ago and I don't envisage that changing anytime soon.

 

[JohnnyDee]

Yeah, many in our group see it the same way.

I thought I was used to it at first but my short putting stated to decline. Eventually I put it down to the pin being in. The longer it went on I steadily grew to hate it. Particularly with the bit of foam just below the rim during the Covid regs. Gaaah!!!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I haven't putted with a flag out since the rule was changed a couple of years ago and I don't envisage that changing anytime soon.

Same for me and the regular group I play with.

 

[srixon 1]

In is OK for longer putts but definitely out for the short ones.

 

[Smiffy]

Out at the earliest opportunity. We were taking them out at RSD yesterday, and I felt much happier, and more confident, putting at a full circle

 

[Maninblack4612]

Played on Tuesday. We all kept forgetting that we could take the pin out. Shook hands at the end too. Drew the line at kissing, mind.

 

[fenwayrich]

I won't be asking anyone to attend it but if I can see the hole I'll be taking the flag out. I never got used to putting with it in.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Once we replaced upturned cup, then foam insert, with a lifter - after a short time I got used to having flag in for all putts. I don’t know if I’ll have flag in or out for shorter putts especially. I am not set in my view on that. Will try having flag out when out by myself and see how I feel.

 

[essexguy194]

I only started playing last september so have never know anything different!

 

[Orikoru]

I haven't played yet, but I'll probably just leave them in. Got used to it now. The main thing I hated over the pandemic was not the pins but the stupid lift-up devices that some clubs had that caused all manner of bounce-outs. My club didn't have them though, so no problem really. Given that my isolation only ends Sunday and I'm going straight out to play, I'll probably not touch anything at first anyway just to be safe.

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

Played on Tuesday. We all kept forgetting that we could take the pin out. Shook hands at the end too. Drew the line at kissing, mind.

Same. Played yesterday and did not even think about it until I was having a drink after the match, when I realised none of us had taken a flag out at any point.

And what are those sticks with a comb like attachment on the end left near the bunkers for?!! Pick and place had helped me get out of bunkers (nothing like a chance to tee it up a bit), and I was suprised/relieved that without that opportunity afforded to me, I was still able to get out of the bunkers. No distance control, but at my level I will wear "well out" as a badge of pride.

 

[Depreston]

I’m looking forward to flag out on the shorter putts

I’ve found that the hole looks smaller when you’ve got the flag in and lifters in

 

[Slab]

I’m looking forward to flag out on the shorter putts

I’ve found that the hole looks smaller when you’ve got the flag in and lifters in

I was wondering about this. Could it also be that on shorter putts and with the flag in, folk are perhaps inadvertently focusing/aiming for the stick itself (or part of the stick), kinda seeing it as the target instead of aiming for the part of the rim the ball is supposed to enter the hole?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I haven't played yet, but I'll probably just leave them in. Got used to it now. The main thing I hated over the pandemic was not the pins but the stupid lift-up devices that some clubs had that caused all manner of bounce-outs. My club didn't have them though, so no problem really. Given that my isolation only ends Sunday and I'm going straight out to play, I'll probably not touch anything at first anyway just to be safe.

I think that I saw at most a handful of bounce-outs over the whole time we had lifters in place on the flagsticks. And these were almost 100% not putts, but chips that might well have been too hard and would have bounced out in any case. IMO the lifters were an excellent solution to the problem, and one that was pretty much non-intrusive in the normal run of play and putting once we got into the habit of always turning the lever and the attaching rod to the back of the flagstick.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I was wondering about this. Could it also be that on shorter putts and with the flag in, folk are perhaps inadvertently focusing/aiming for the stick itself (or part of the stick), kinda seeing it as the target instead of aiming for the part of the rim the ball is supposed to enter the hole?

I think I have become almost flagstick ‘blind’ for putts in that I don’t recall considering the flagstick being there when determining my line. That said I may still have found myself from time to time subconsciously hitting ball straight at the flag when I knew the putt was not centre.

 

[Orikoru]

I think that I saw at most a handful of bounce-outs over the whole time we had lifters in place on the flagsticks. And these were almost 100% not putts, but chips that might well have been too hard and would have bounced out in any case. IMO the lifters were an excellent solution to the problem, and one that was pretty much non-intrusive in the normal run of play and putting once we got into the habit of always turning the lever and the attaching rod to the back of the flagstick.

Yes, someone always had to work up and spin the handle away from them, it was time-consuming and annoying. At other clubs I saw more sophisticated devices that actually went all around the flag stick so you couldn't turn them away, but they just make the stick thicker and more likely to keep the ball out unless you dribbled them in. They were a classic case of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, the best solution was the inserts into the cups to make them shallower and easy to pick the ball out - that was all that was needed.

 

[SteveJay]

Since the rule was introduced, I was a strong advocate of leaving the flag in, so cover rules didn't affect me. I have experienced a few instances of shots which would probably have dropped had it not been for the flag (unproven obviously).

However, in the few rounds I have played since the relaxation, i have actually started removing the flag on shorter putts. It felt odd at first but now I think the hole looks bigger. I also like the sound of it rattling as it drops in an empty hole.

In addition, now that the foam liners have been removed at my course, if you leave the flag in its a pain to get the ball out (easier to actually take the flag out to do so, which sort of makes living it in less worthwhile!).