Putting with the flag in

[clubchamp98]

Things change......I hope........ Although, it's golf...so change happens very reluctantly.

Yes imo it’s given players a choice.
That’s good
But played with a lad once who wanted the flag back in for a 12” putt.
But if that’s what he wants it’s fine by me, it’s his choice!

 

[USER1999]

I hate having the pin in. Traditionally I ram the ball into the hole. With the pin in, I feel I need to die it in. It has messed with my head, and has ruined my putting. I can't wait to be able to take the stick out.

 

[chrisd]

I hate having the pin in. Traditionally I ram the ball into the hole. With the pin in, I feel I need to die it in. It has messed with my head, and has ruined my putting. I can't wait to be able to take the stick out.

I'd rather it be out or attended. Mid lockdowns we changed from having foam inserts to the disc you pull up to lift the ball out and that has to make the flag sick wider and we seem to get more hitting the flag stick and jumping out

 

[Jamesbrown]

It must remain. No need to faff about and coupled with ready play on the green helps the rounds fluidity.
£50 to a sports psychologist and you’ll not know it’s there.

 

[Billysboots]

I’m so used to it now I don’t really think about it. I can’t recall missing too many as a direct result of the pin being left in.

 

[rulefan]

I’m so used to it now I don’t really think about it. I can’t recall missing too many as a direct result of the pin being left in.

The ball must be travelling too fast.

 

[davidy233]

Two days in - raked bunkers next - we've missed you folks

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

It must remain. No need to faff about and coupled with ready play on the green helps the rounds fluidity.
£50 to a sports psychologist and you’ll not know it’s there.

Any other choices you'd like to take away from people? ?

 

[Fabia999]

I actually prefer the flag in. I feel like it gives me a better idea on how far away the hole is. I can see the flag in my vision when looking at the ball and that helps me. I understand that people don't like it though.

 

[Golfnut1957]

I hate having the pin in. Traditionally I ram the ball into the hole. With the pin in, I feel I need to die it in. It has messed with my head, and has ruined my putting. I can't wait to be able to take the stick out.

I'm with you. On the short ones I like to aim at the back of the hole and hit it with pace, that option isn't there at the moment. On Tuesday I hit a beautiful lagged 8 footer, slightly left to right, it entered the hole plumb centre, and came straight back at me.

I'd love to play with some of these "the flag must remain in types" and mess with their heads by taking the flag out for every putt. They can then spend £50 on a sports phycologist to fix their heads.

 

[jim8flog]

Not a great lover of it .

It has turned what was a 4.25" target in to less than 2".

I previous have been someone who aimed to hit the back of the hole on a lot of putts and have had a fair number of bounce outs. Although I never minded leaving the flag in with tap in putts with normal size poles.

 

[rulefan]

People tend to remember the bad outcomes more than the good. I wonder how often amateurs make 8' putts? Pros make an average of 34% 5'-10' putts

 

[eddie_1878]

Out every time...unless I’m that far away I can’t see the hole!

You can’t beat the noise of the ball hitting the bottom of the cup and rattling around.

 

[Robster59]

I have no objection if people want to putt with the flag in as long as they don't get upset when I ask it to be tended or taken out. Maybe it's because I've done it all my life, but I am more comfortable with the flag out as a rule. I have had the ball come back a few times with the flag being in when I know, from experience, that the ball would have gone in if the flag had been out. In a friendly game you can laugh it off but in a competitive competition it makes a difference. I'd definitely want the flag out if I was putting from a few feet. From a distance, I may be OK with it in purely because it's less likely I'll actually hit the target.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Seems to be a complete u turn in many peoples attitudes to this one.

You had to be some sort of slow playing dinosaur to want the flag taken out last year ??

 

[Crow]

How many Pros leave it in when putting?
They're playing for money and looking for every tiny margin.

 

[Orikoru]

Mostly it's fine with the flag in, but for three or four footers my preference would be to take the flag out and hit the ball a bit more firmly to take the break out, but obviously I've not been able to do this for the last year unfortunately, so it is what it is.

The lifting devices though, I hate with a passion. They always either make the flag thicker, or give you an awkward piece of metal down one side of it that can keep the ball out if you don't remember to turn it to the away side of the flag before putting. The ones at my old club were just awful for this. Luckily at my new club they don't have them, they just made the cups shallower so you can pick the ball out more easily, which to my mind is the vastly better solution.

 

[Robster59]

Seems to be a complete u turn in many peoples attitudes to this one.

You had to be some sort of slow playing dinosaur to want the flag taken out last year ??

You'd need to be breaking the Covid rules to take out the flag last year.

 

[backwoodsman]

I generally don't mind leaving the flag in. The one thing I don't like, is on sunny days, when the flag's shadow is waggling about across your line of putt. (Obviously this won't affect any of our friends north of Birmingham ... )

 

[Deleted member 3432]

You'd need to be breaking the Covid rules to take out the flag last year.

Of course. I was referring to when the change was 1st made.