Putting with pin in - sick of it!

[Deleted member 21258]

Really depends on the pins used at the club you play.

I can feel your pain OP.

 

[LincolnShep]

If you “tweak the rod accordingly” to help your putt is that not breaking the rules.
Not sure which one but that is like backstopping to aid your putt.
Only asking not accusing.

By 'tweaking the rod' I think SILH meant hiding the rod round the 'back' of the flagstick - so it wouldn't provide any help or hindrance. Your question is an interesting one though, could the rod be used to help?

 

[clubchamp98]

The odd course has really chunky flag sticks and I think they are the issue. I've only come across one like that, can't remember which course it was now but they were a problem. The majority are somewhere in the middle and are fine unless you are 2ft from the flag and ram it. I've seen the odd one of them bounce out but then they were over hit anyway. The best I have seen, this was last year, unsurprisingly was at Close House. They had very thin sticks and we played all 18 holes without removing the flags once as it was simply unecessary. If you are bouncing out there then the ball was never going to drop without the flag anyway.

My course is somewhere in the middle and it is not an issue but I suspect we, and you, and lucky with what we have. I know I played in an open 2 weeks ago and the 3 pp from Tyneside were beside themselves with joy at playing a course without the lifting device as they were seeing frequent bounce outs.

I would counter this by saying “ look how firm most pros hit their short putts”
The ram them into the back of the hole to take any small break out.
You can’t do that with a flag in.
Didn’t see anyone last night in the PGA leave the flag in for a shortish putt , not even the Scientist

 

[clubchamp98]

By 'tweaking the rod' I think SILH meant hiding the rod round the 'back' of the flagstick - so it wouldn't provide any help or hindrance. Your question is an interesting one though, could the rod be used to help?

I have seen one player do this !
He moved the rod sort of two o’clock from his putt line on a right to left putt.
Me and my partner looked at each other.
But without calling him a cheat what could you say.!

 

[Slab]

I would counter this by saying “ look how firm most pros hit their short putts”
The ram them into the back of the hole to take any small break out.
You can’t do that with a flag in.
Didn’t see anyone last night in the PGA leave the flag in for a shortish putt , not even the Scientist

Not PGA but Nicholas Colsaerts leaves it in for everything, but he's probably just an exception. The tour players haven't really embraced 'flag in' putting in general though, so science or habit it seems they've decided its not for them unless they intend to use it as a backstop (which they clearly do like a bit of )


edit to correct spelling

 

[Orikoru]

I have seen one player do this !
He moved the rod sort of two o’clock from his putt line on a right to left putt.
Me and my partner looked at each other.
But without calling him a cheat what could you say.!

Given that it's a relatively new addition there's probably no rule against it. As I said earlier I always move the lifting arm to the back of the pin since it kept out one of my putts. Presumably no one would object to that, but then how can you have a rule that allows that but doesn't allow you to position it another way?

 

[clubchamp98]

Given that it's a relatively new addition there's probably no rule against it. As I said earlier I always move the lifting arm to the back of the pin since it kept out one of my putts. Presumably no one would object to that, but then how can you have a rule that allows that but doesn't allow you to position it another way?

Everyone appreciates it’s a nessesary thing to leave the flag at the moment.
But people saying it dosnt make a difference are wrong imo .
I very rarely leave putts short but have found atm I am leaving them short because having to die everything into the hole has affected the way I putt.
Judging by this thread it’s not just me, but it is what it is.

 

[clubchamp98]

Not PGA but Nicholas Coulsarts leaves it in for everything, but he's probably just an exception. The tour players haven't really embraced 'flag in' putting in general though, so science or habit it seems they've decided its not for them unless they intend to use it as a backstop (which they clearly do like a bit of )

They did at first!
But they have concluded it’s better out than in.
If it was a help I am sure they would all be doing it!

 

[Slab]

Not wishing to move the topic too far but what is everyone’s course doing on the practice greens?

At the local place there’s no holes cut just now and instead they’ve put out 2” stakes similar to the ones used round the course (penalty area, OOB etc) only these have a nicer finish to them and generally they’re not pushed down flush with the ground so you have the stake to aim at which is less than half the hole width and it’s just the 10mm metal spike that the ball will make contact with for dead center

I’m quite liking it rather than the mini ‘toy’ flags/holes that are usually seen on practice greens & wouldn’t mind if it stayed that way

 

[Orikoru]

Not wishing to move the topic too far but what is everyone’s course doing on the practice greens?

At the local place there’s no holes cut just now and instead they’ve put out 2” stakes similar to the ones used round the course (penalty area, OOB etc) only these have a nicer finish to them and generally they’re not pushed down flush with the ground so you have the stake to aim at which is less than half the hole width and it’s just the 10mm metal spike that the ball will make contact with for dead center

I’m quite liking it rather than the mini ‘toy’ flags/holes that are usually seen on practice greens & wouldn’t mind if it stayed that way

They seem to have just removed the mini-flags and left the holes. Simple really.

 

[Slab]

They seem to have just removed the mini-flags and left the holes. Simple really.

Does that just lead to lots of extra bending down now?

I'm trying to practice putt for about 15 minutes every day just now, not sure my back would enjoy the workout

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I would counter this by saying “ look how firm most pros hit their short putts”
The ram them into the back of the hole to take any small break out.
You can’t do that with a flag in.
Didn’t see anyone last night in the PGA leave the flag in for a shortish putt , not even the Scientist

I guess you are in the territory here of one person ram is anothers wallop. What you say is a very fair point though.

Out of interest does your course have fairly thick flag sticks or are they in the middle? It may be you are having to compromise to a greater degree due to the width of the sticks.

 

[Orikoru]

Does that just lead to lots of extra bending down now?

I'm trying to practice putt for about 15 minutes every day just now, not sure my back would enjoy the workout

The putting green flags are only 12-18 inches tall, you'd have to bend over to pull them out anyway?

 

[clubchamp98]

I guess you are in the territory here of one person ram is anothers wallop. What you say is a very fair point though.

Out of interest does your course have fairly thick flag sticks or are they in the middle? It may be you are having to compromise to a greater degree due to the width of the sticks.

Our pins are very thin and I havnt personally had many problems.
It’s more between my ears ,there is space there for dought plenty of it.
All we hear is “ visualise the shot.” Visualise this visualise that .
Golf is a game of visual intimidation by the course architect.
I just don’t like the flag in for short putts. It puts me off visually.
Normally I have a choice , but appreciate that at the moment I don’t.
I am fine with that, as long as there is no petition to leave it in for good as others have alluded to.

 

[davidy233]

I would counter this by saying “ look how firm most pros hit their short putts”
The ram them into the back of the hole to take any small break out.
You can’t do that with a flag in.
Didn’t see anyone last night in the PGA leave the flag in for a shortish putt , not even the Scientist

Bryson left the pin in for a ten footer last night, someone on the Europen tour over the weekend left the pin in as the shadow gave him a perfect line to the hole too - he holed it

 

[clubchamp98]

Not wishing to move the topic too far but what is everyone’s course doing on the practice greens?

At the local place there’s no holes cut just now and instead they’ve put out 2” stakes similar to the ones used round the course (penalty area, OOB etc) only these have a nicer finish to them and generally they’re not pushed down flush with the ground so you have the stake to aim at which is less than half the hole width and it’s just the 10mm metal spike that the ball will make contact with for dead center

I’m quite liking it rather than the mini ‘toy’ flags/holes that are usually seen on practice greens & wouldn’t mind if it stayed that way

Ours has cut very shallow holes with plastic discs in.
You really have to die it in the hole to keep the ball in them.
Not a fan , I like hitting my putts firm.

 

[clubchamp98]

Bryson left the pin in for a ten footer last night

If he thinks it will help he would put it in upside down.
But it’s a very rare thing now with pros.
10’ is not a short putt ( for me anyway)
All the science in the world won’t change their minds.
But am golfers are not like them and I think more like the pin in than out because they think it helps them.

 

[Slab]

The putting green flags are only 12-18 inches tall, you'd have to bend over to pull them out anyway?

I get what you mean but its barely a bend to get to a knee height flag. Practice 3 footers for 10 minutes and i'd be down to ground level a lot (I hope )

 

[Orikoru]

I get what you mean but its barely a bend to get to a knee height flag. Practice 3 footers for 10 minutes and i'd be down to ground level a lot (I hope )

Just make sure you miss them all like I do.

 

[clubchamp98]

I get what you mean but its barely a bend to get to a knee height flag. Practice 3 footers for 10 minutes and i'd be down to ground level a lot (I hope )

Tiger has gone to a longer putter so he can practice for longer.
Might be something in it.