New Rules - what are you for and against?

[Wolf]

It’s not a waste of time!
My mate only has one eye his right , he is right handed so his peripheral vision is not good .
He needs the flag attending on most putts except shortish ones.
But he is not happy that he needs to explain to people that don’t know him when they question him over it.
It’s up to the player putting to choose how he wants the flag no matter what anyone else thinks.
If any player wants the flag attended then that’s what I will do.

I'm a little confused by this and why having it attended is better for him than simply leaving it in.

If he is over a put and has his right eye on the ball, his left side will be facing the target line so regardless of tended or not he won't be able to see it in his peripheral vision anyway. So surely just leaving it in saves him having to explain things and makes it easier all round. Unless I'm missing something here

 

[duncan mackie]

Can someone explain to me why you would want the pin attended. Pretty sure the ball has more chance of falling in from long range with pin in, but perhaps I have missed something.

The real factual fully tested answer to your question will be answered by around June through observation of the Tour.

If There is even 0.1% increased chance of holing the putt they will all be putting with the flag left in!

Having studied the research often quoted around this area I find that whilst it's it's conclusions are fair for it's methodology (as you would expect!) it's methodology isn't appropriate to the question being asked. Put simply, if you significantly over hit a putt it has more chance of being holed if the flag is left in - doesn't relate across to the more normal range of putts at Tour level.

Time will tell (definitively)

 

[garyinderry]

The real factual fully tested answer to your question will be answered by around June through observation of the Tour.

If There is even 0.1% increased chance of holing the putt they will all be putting with the flag left in!

Having studied the research often quoted around this area I find that whilst it's it's conclusions are fair for it's methodology (as you would expect!) it's methodology isn't appropriate to the question being asked. Put simply, if you significantly over hit a putt it has more chance of being holed if the flag is left in - doesn't relate across to the more normal range of putts at Tour level.

Time will tell (definitively)

Why wait till June. if the pro's are going to jump on board then surely it will happen at The Masters.

 

[Homer]

Why wait till June. if the pro's are going to jump on board then surely it will happen at The Masters.

Or the next tournament in January maybe?

 

[garyinderry]

Or the next tournament in January maybe?

This is true. Will make for fascinating viewing although I do feel that golf as we knew it has changed forever.

 

[duncan mackie]

Why wait till June. if the pro's are going to jump on board then surely it will happen at The Masters.

I was simply giving what I perceive as a necessary period for statistical relevance to be established. Not wedded to the date - simply suggesting that by about then established behaviour (feeling/preference etc) will be replaced by cold hard statistics; and the best tour pros will react to those.

 

[duncan mackie]

This is true. Will make for fascinating viewing although I do feel that golf as we knew it has changed forever.

Well at least until the rules change 🤔

 

[clubchamp98]

I'm a little confused by this and why having it attended is better for him than simply leaving it in.

If he is over a put and has his right eye on the ball, his left side will be facing the target line so regardless of tended or not he won't be able to see it in his peripheral vision anyway. So surely just leaving it in saves him having to explain things and makes it easier all round. Unless I'm missing something here

This is a example but at the end of the day it’s up to him!
It dosnt matter if others think it’s a waste of time. It’s his choice and only his.

 

[clubchamp98]

Putting is about feel not sight plus if his eyes are over the ball why does he need the flag tended?

You good in the dark then.?
Because that’s what HE wants!

 

[Jacko_G]

This is a example but at the end of the day it’s up to him!
It dosnt matter if others think it’s a waste of time. It’s his choice and only his.

Agree it is a choice and a choice for people to refuse to tend it since the removal of the penalty.

 

[clubchamp98]

I was simply giving what I perceive as a necessary period for statistical relevance to be established. Not wedded to the date - simply suggesting that by about then established behaviour (feeling/preference etc) will be replaced by cold hard statistics; and the best tour pros will react to those.

If any golfers first couple of putts go in they will leave the flag in.
But if the ball stays out I can’t see said player leaving it in.
Golf is a game of confidence and very fickle.

 

[clubchamp98]

Agree it is a choice and a choice for people to refuse to tend it since the removal of the penalty.

Well good luck with your choices.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Agree it is a choice and a choice for people to refuse to tend it since the removal of the penalty.

What would you say if people refused to help you search for your ball or didn’t bother watching where your ball went or stood where you didn’t want them too or walked over you line etc - all cases of poor etiquette and being disrespectful to your playing partners , I don’t see any reason why someone would refuse to tend a flag for someone beyond being that type of personality?

The flag in or out is not really a massive deal - we have been doing it for years , it doesn’t really speed up play to any extreme

A person is allowed to have to flag in or out or tended - I would expect everyone to respect any players wishes on the green I would expect anyone to respect people throughout the round

 

[Jacko_G]

It's my responsibility to know where my ball goes not my playing partners.

Bottom line is there is no requirement to tend the flag anymore therefore why insist on it? There is no purpose, point or advantage to it.

Just putt to the flag and get on with it, when you get to within a certain distance that you want it out take it out - or better still just leave it in.

Can't wait for my first competition of the year.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It's my responsibility to know where my ball goes not my playing partners.

Bottom line is there is no requirement to tend the flag anymore therefore why insist on it? There is no purpose, point or advantage to it.

Just putt to the flag and get on with it, when you get to within a certain distance that you want it out take it out - or better still just leave it in.

Can't wait for my first competition of the year.

If a player wants the flag tended then it’s not up to you to decide if it has no purpose , it’s not your choice , the rules allow someone the choice of all three options and as fellow golfers I would expect other golfers to respect any one of the choices regardless of your own personal feeling

It’s called etiquette and it’s a fabric of our game - if a player believes he requires the flag to be tended as is his right then the only course of action it to carry out his wishes - anything other will be poor etiquette.

 

[clubchamp98]

It's my responsibility to know where my ball goes not my playing partners.

Bottom line is there is no requirement to tend the flag anymore therefore why insist on it? There is no purpose, point or advantage to it.

Just putt to the flag and get on with it, when you get to within a certain distance that you want it out take it out - or better still just leave it in.

Can't wait for my first competition of the year.

There’s never been a requirement as far as I know , it’s just etiquette if someone asks.

So you hit your tee shot into a low sun, look at your pps and they were not looking where your ball went = very long round and lost balls.

 

[garyinderry]

The flag can lie towards the player. Tending the flag is advisable in this situation.

 

[Jacko_G]

There’s never been a requirement as far as I know , it’s just etiquette if someone asks.

So you hit your tee shot into a low sun, look at your pps and they were not looking where your ball went = very long round and lost balls.

It's also ettiquette to keep moving along without undue delay. Farting about with a flag stick just adds delay.

Can I cite everyone who farts about with a flag stick instead of putting when ready as having poor ettiquette?

 

[PhilTheFragger]

It's also ettiquette to keep moving along without undue delay. Farting about with a flag stick just adds delay.

Can I cite everyone who farts about with a flag stick instead of putting when ready as having poor ettiquette?

Going round in circles here guys.

The forum consensus seems to support the notion that it is the choice of each player whether to leave the flag in, out or attended.

If a player asks for an attend and you refuse, whilst not in the rules, it would be a major breach of etiquette, possibly reportable in a match.

Why don’t you try it and then tell us how you got on?

 

[Jacko_G]

Going round in circles here guys.

The forum consensus seems to support the notion that it is the choice of each player whether to leave the flag in, out or attended.

If a player asks for an attend and you refuse, whilst not in the rules, it would be a major breach of etiquette, possibly reportable in a match.

Why don’t you try it and then tell us how you got on?

Love how I am the one accused of taking it round in circles. Shock horror.