rulefan
Tour Winner
This adds to and confirms previous tests and recommendations.
Putting with the flagstick in
- Thread starter rulefan
- Start date
D
Deleted member 3432
Guest
Any tests done with a 25 mph wind blowing?
rulefan
Tour Winner
I have no idea but what difference would you expect?
The significant point is what speed the ball is travelling at a few inches from the hole and it's angle in relation to the flagstick. How it got there is somewhat irrelevant.
The significant point is what speed the ball is travelling at a few inches from the hole and it's angle in relation to the flagstick. How it got there is somewhat irrelevant.
D
Deleted member 3432
Guest
Obviously in windy conditions flagstick won't be centred so just wondering what the stats say about.
A little tongue in cheek I guess, but don't personally see how putting with flag in or out is going to address many of golf's problems.
If people benefit from it great but can't see a massive uptake in participation numbers from this change.
A little tongue in cheek I guess, but don't personally see how putting with flag in or out is going to address many of golf's problems.
If people benefit from it great but can't see a massive uptake in participation numbers from this change.
Norrin Radd
Tour Winner
rulefan
Tour Winner
I didn't see this as a major objective.
D
Deleted member 3432
Guest
Ok, I agree with that just seems elsewhere on the site people think it's going to revolutionise the game.....
cliveb
Head Pro
An interesting consequence of the new rule is whether it encourages some research into how the flagstick material and diameter might affect the chances of balls dropping. As far as I am aware, there is nothing in the rules of golf that defines flagstick specs (other than they must have a circular cross-section).
My club has a set of "posh" flagsticks that are brought out for major comps. They are significantly beefier than the normal ones, and although they do taper at the bottom my gut feeling is that they are still a bit thicker at ground level, so they might be more likely to deflect a ball away from the hole.
My club has a set of "posh" flagsticks that are brought out for major comps. They are significantly beefier than the normal ones, and although they do taper at the bottom my gut feeling is that they are still a bit thicker at ground level, so they might be more likely to deflect a ball away from the hole.
rulefan
Tour Winner
The flagstick must be:
a. circular in cross-section, and
b. less than or equal to 0.75 inches (19 mm) in diameter from a point 3 inches (76.2 mm) above the ground to the bottom of the hole and no greater than 2 inches (50.8 mm) in diameter at any point.
The flagstick must not:
a. incorporate features, including materials, designed to act in a shock absorbing manner or have shock absorbing properties upon impact with the ball, or
b. have features or properties which are designed to unduly influence the movement of the ball,
a. circular in cross-section, and
b. less than or equal to 0.75 inches (19 mm) in diameter from a point 3 inches (76.2 mm) above the ground to the bottom of the hole and no greater than 2 inches (50.8 mm) in diameter at any point.
The flagstick must not:
a. incorporate features, including materials, designed to act in a shock absorbing manner or have shock absorbing properties upon impact with the ball, or
b. have features or properties which are designed to unduly influence the movement of the ball,
cliveb
Head Pro
Thanks for the clarification. Clearly there are indeed rules about the construction of the flagstick - but I couldn't find them in the players edition of the new rules. Where are they defined?
rulefan
Tour Winner
Orikoru
Tour Winner
In that video though, they give the impression that all of the test shots were aimed at the dead centre of the pin / cup. If you hit it slightly too hard but 1cm left of centre, what then? Is it still more likely to go in, or would it hit the stick and deflect away as opposed to catching the back rim and doing a lap before dropping in??
Rlburnside
Challenge Tour Pro
Player walked up to flag and as it was leaning towards his putt he centered the flagstick, I thought this wasn’t allowed but wasn’t 100% sure so thought I would ask on here if it’s allowed.
cliveb
Head Pro
My understanding is that you're allowed to centre a skewed flagstick, and you're allowed to take advantage of a flagstick that happens to be off-centre, but you're not allowed to deliberately tilt the flagstick off-centre.
PS. Having initially felt that putting from a short distance with the flag in was really weird, I am now (after about 4 rounds) becoming quite comfortable with it, and am beginning to feel that it helps with putting confidence.
duncan mackie
Money List Winner
You may leave it, or centre it, you may not angle it otherwise.
Rlburnside
Challenge Tour Pro
Thanks
I have had 4 rounds also and like the new rule but tend to take it out for short putts, finding I’m getting a tad impatient to see if hitting the flagstick makes any difference as none of our 4 ball has hit the flagstick yet.
cliveb
Head Pro
Try leaving it in for short putts and you'll soon find out what hitting the flagstick feels like.
I am beginning to find it quite satisfying to see and hear the ball rattle into the stick and drop in the hole.
I genuinely think it's giving me the confidence to hit short putts with a bit more pace.
pendodave
Tour Rookie
I suspect it won't change many opinions, as people seem pretty set in their ways, but mgs have also tested and found an advantage in every scenario of leaving it in:
https://mygolfspy.com/flagstick-in-flagstick-out-2019-new-golf-rules/
This being the case, I wonder why they don't do it on tour? Maybe they've got better data...
https://mygolfspy.com/flagstick-in-flagstick-out-2019-new-golf-rules/
This being the case, I wonder why they don't do it on tour? Maybe they've got better data...
Orikoru
Tour Winner
There's certainly been enough testing to show that scientifically it's better to leave it in. But some people may have a mental block with it to start with, so if they can't get in the right mindset to putt with a flag in, they'll have to keep taking it out.
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Skip Surf
Member
This seems to be the thread on the topic with the most accurate going. Just a few observation so far:
Most of us probably played enough solo rounds 'stick-in' before the rule change to form an opinion on what type of putts it could help, but I've played enough now with groups to gather more info. And it definitely has helped with a few downhill racers, and a few really long putts that would probably have left lengthy comebackers. Once greens really get hard and fast mid-summer, I'll probably factor leaving the pin. For now, I'm sticking with my old thought to avoid anything that could get in the way of good putts. Adding to that thought are a few putts that hit the stick and got weird caroms, almost seeming to kick farther from the hole than they would've rolled naturally.
Something sort of bizarre that's happened twice already. Once when I reached into the hole to retrieve the ball, unseen fiberglass shards from the shaft of the flagstick ripped the palm of my hand, and some of those shards remained embedded for a week. Not fun. Same thing happened with a friend, with a metal pin. Just a heads-up.
Most of us probably played enough solo rounds 'stick-in' before the rule change to form an opinion on what type of putts it could help, but I've played enough now with groups to gather more info. And it definitely has helped with a few downhill racers, and a few really long putts that would probably have left lengthy comebackers. Once greens really get hard and fast mid-summer, I'll probably factor leaving the pin. For now, I'm sticking with my old thought to avoid anything that could get in the way of good putts. Adding to that thought are a few putts that hit the stick and got weird caroms, almost seeming to kick farther from the hole than they would've rolled naturally.
Something sort of bizarre that's happened twice already. Once when I reached into the hole to retrieve the ball, unseen fiberglass shards from the shaft of the flagstick ripped the palm of my hand, and some of those shards remained embedded for a week. Not fun. Same thing happened with a friend, with a metal pin. Just a heads-up.
