potential problem with the new 'flag in' rule !

[clubchamp98]

My own experience tells me that the flag is more beneficial that it has ever been a hindrance.

Overhit a bump'n'run - hits the flag is drops or smacks the flag, kills the majority of the speed and leaves you a putt of under 3 feet rather than a 20 footer. Of course I have hit a chip and the flag has kept the ball out but the vast majority of the time its a positive influence on the outcome rather than a negative. We just like to dwell on the ones that maybe should have, could have instead of the bad shots that end up good.

I have even witnessed the most crazy eagle in my life which involved the flag. Playing in a monsoon in a match play competition the person I was playing against hit a monster drive and was only 40 yards short of the green, he then proceeded to knife/thin his approach which hit the flag, the material, not the pole, it wrapped itself in the wet material before falling straight down and into the hole. I doubt I'll ever witness anything like that again in my life.

Experience is everything imo , but mine is different to yours.
I chip and putt with the flag out.
Nobody is right or wrong just different. Live and let live.

Although when the pros chip and put in these vids it’s like chalk and cheese to the way your average player chips/putts.

I remember one in USA last year where a pro hit the pin with a wedge and it went into a water hazard.
There are lots for and against

 

[Jacko_G]

Experience is everything imo , but mine is different to yours.
I chip and putt with the flag out.
Nobody is right or wrong just different. Live and let live.

Although when the pros chip and put in these vids it’s like chalk and cheese to the way your average player chips/putts.

I remember one in USA last year where a pro hit the pin with a wedge and it went into a water hazard.
There are lots for and against

I never mentioned professional golfers. I was also only replying with my personal experience. To be honest I couldn't care who wants it in or out, its the farting about I want it tended that won't be happening - I think I've already mentioned that though so we won't derail this into becoming a third thread on the subject.

 

[HughJars]

Experience is everything imo , but mine is different to yours.
I chip and putt with the flag out.
Nobody is right or wrong just different

...as do many folks. I tend to only do that if the pin was close to the edge I'm coming from.

People who habitually do that won't change, then you'll have those like me who will go to the other extreme. It'll be the hokey cokey that makes this slower than what we have now.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Putting for me is all about confidence and the hole looks bigger with the flag out so that is what I will go with most of the time.

 

[brfcfan]

The R&A brought in this rule to speed up play, unfortunately it will actually hold up play, and I don't think they actually thought golfers would leave the pin in to their advantage which many will. My farther played yesterday in a seniors comp and one of the worst putters in the club putted everything with the pin in and putted really well, many other golfers will try it and I reckon we will end up with probably more golfers leaving the pin in than not.

I predict that this rule will be scrapped by the end of the year because of the faffing of having the pin in and out.

 

[richart]

I will probably go for flag out as I tend to be more of a 'dead weight' putter, I very rarely hole putts with any great speed on them.

Keep it in for your chips though Gordon.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

https://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/news...lagstick-171304/amp?__twitter_impression=true

2017 USPGA champion Justin Thomas is one that won’t be putting with the pin still in the hole.

“I just, I truly, I can’t, I wouldn’t be able to take myself seriously. I just feel like it would be very, very weird,” explained Thomas at the Sentry Tournament of Champions this week.

“If I have an 8-footer to win a golf tournament, I can’t, I mean no offence, I can’t really take myself seriously if I kept the pin in,” he said.

“If I have a putt I’m trying to make, that thing’s coming out.”

 

[Deleted member 1147]

If he hits the putt with the correct line & weight the ball will go in, flag in or out.
So I’d he saying he lacks the confidence to do that? Or, he cares more about how he looks than how he performs?

 

[garyinderry]

https://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/news...lagstick-171304/amp?__twitter_impression=true

2017 USPGA champion Justin Thomas is one that won’t be putting with the pin still in the hole.

“I just, I truly, I can’t, I wouldn’t be able to take myself seriously. I just feel like it would be very, very weird,” explained Thomas at the Sentry Tournament of Champions this week.

“If I have an 8-footer to win a golf tournament, I can’t, I mean no offence, I can’t really take myself seriously if I kept the pin in,” he said.

“If I have a putt I’m trying to make, that thing’s coming out.”

They should have put Bryson and Thomas out in the same group for the Craic.

 

[Wolf]

They should have put Bryson and Thomas out in the same group for the Craic.

I'm really intrigued by Bryson, his swing, his putting and his approach to the game and fact he talks about the flag sticks COR effect on the ball and deciding what to do on the greens depending on type of flagstick in play that week.

 

[TheDiablo]

Very, very few pros will be putting with the flag in straight away.

If its judged on one event, then the naysayers will claim a win. If its judged on 2019, there will still be little change.

But as the weight of evidence builds up that it helps (and trust me, it will, very quickly) then a pro would be crazy not to take that on board. It would be similar to a pro ignoring their SG stats and going just on what they 'think' needs improving.

The alternative is that the rule changes back again.

JT is a good, humble enough guy that he will laugh that comment off when he realises its costing him fractions of shots to the field.

MGS are soon to release their study, it will be the most comprehensive one out there, and the results will make some people look rather foolish. Other studies will back that up in due course - I'm yet to see anything out there that suggests the alternative.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You seem very confident that putting with the flag in improves your score ? I don’t it’s something that can ever truly be proved either way

Now I would have thought that the R&A would have carried out studies to ensure a ruling isn’t making the game easier for people who struggle on the greens -

I expect it will help some - maybe the ones that can’t judge distance and a ball hitting the flag stops it going past by 6 foot etc - all dumbing of the game.

 

[Jacko_G]

I'm really intrigued by Bryson, his swing, his putting and his approach to the game and fact he talks about the flag sticks COR effect on the ball and deciding what to do on the greens depending on type of flagstick in play that week.

Breath of fresh air.

I like him too.

 

[Wolf]

Breath of fresh air.

I like him too.

Completely agree. Am going to look forward to seeing more of him this year I think he can challenge for some majors and challenges the authorities and ideas

 

[TheDiablo]

You seem very confident that putting with the flag in improves your score ? I don’t it’s something that can ever truly be proved either way

Now I would have thought that the R&A would have carried out studies to ensure a ruling isn’t making the game easier for people who struggle on the greens -

I expect it will help some - maybe the ones that can’t judge distance and a ball hitting the flag stops it going past by 6 foot etc - all dumbing of the game.

What?!?! Of course it can be proved either way.

There will be occasions where having the flagstick left is a hinderence. There will be occasions where it is a help.

The latter will outweigh the former by a surprisingly large amount, and will be proved by studies. A hugely comprehensive one is due to be released very soon.

In the world of elite sport, minor gains against competition means a huge amount.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Completely agree. Am going to look forward to seeing more of him this year I think he can challenge for some majors and challenges the authorities and ideas

Certainly will see plenty of him as he is taking an eternity to play his shot....

 

[Wolf]

Certainly will see plenty of him as he is taking an eternity to play his shot....

Fine with me I'll enjoy watching his quirkiness.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

What?!?! Of course it can be proved either way.

There will be occasions where having the flagstick left is a hinderence. There will be occasions where it is a help.

The latter will outweigh the former by a surprisingly large amount, and will be proved by studies. A hugely comprehensive one is due to be released very soon.

In the world of elite sport, minor gains against competition means a huge amount.

Sorry but when it comes to varying methods and studies in golf there is never anything “definitive” and most certainly don’t expect any study to be taken as gospel unless it’s one that involves millions of golfers taking part from varying handicaps and pros.

If you are so confident that this study is that defining then im sure the pros already have site it and you will see what they think of it - over ten years of playing with flag in over winter and certainly not seen the ball go in more with flag in hence why most have the flag out

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Certainly will see plenty of him as he is taking an eternity to play his shot....

Not with the new rules he can’t - hopefully going to curb his extremely slow play

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Not with the new rules he can’t - hopefully going to curb his extremely slow play

As much as I would like to see it happen I doubt it will.

Not many 14 year old Chinese amateurs in the regular PGA Tour field for them to make an example of.

No way are they going to make an example of a 'big' name player.