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What's Happening? Flagstick In or Out?

leftshot

leftshot

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Some of us live in places where golf is year around. For us, we're 2 months in with the new rules. In other threads people have shared what they *think* they are going to do with the flagstick. This thread is more of a report from those in warm weather climates of what is actually happening. Some of us will have a regular foursome or a small group we mostly play with. Others have mixed/matched with a lot of different groups. Tell us what's happening.
 
I'll kick it off.

In general, early on most of the golfers I played with had a starting point they wanted to try. Some said they wanted the flag out because that was what they were used to doing. Others said the flag in looked weird to them and they thought having it in would hurt their putting. Others were willing to go with the flow. Still, others wanted to experiment with the flag in.

Mixed in was more than a little awkwardness around the green. Out of habit, some would grab the flag or have the urge to when they saw everybody's ball on the green. Some weren't sure how to proceed or what to say. Some would seek a consensus on having the flag in or out. When the flag came out, some out of habit put it way off the green, only to find someone wanted it in when it was their turn.

After a while, some new patterns began to emerge. Folks would start asking the first player up whether they wanted the flag in or out, and if out more people started to hang onto the flagstick, so they could reinsert it if another player wanted it in. After some time, more and more players are experimenting with the flag in. More and more I'm seeing whole groups keeping the flag in for the whole time. If you are in the group behind them, you can now shoot the flag with your range finder while they putt, as opposed to waiting until they are done and replace the flag.

Those are a few things I've observed in casual play and competition in the first 2 months.
 
I would classify myself as someone who likes to golf, vice someone who is serious about golf. Since the rule change, we have generally left the flagstick in, simply for convenience.


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We tend the leave the flag in untill we are within 8ft as that has been the consensus since the introduction of the rule. I would happily leave the flag stick in for all putts and I think this will be the next rule change...... I do think the rule changes including ready golf have sped up the round :D
 
I’m seeing quite a few leave it in, but at a guess I’d say the majority are still pulling it.
 
My regular group (10 to 18 players ranging in handicap from 0 to about 9), has played flagstick within the hole for two months now. No player is taking the flagstick out, ever. It's not even a question any player asks, and this seems to have improved pace of play by approximately 10 minutes per round.
 
leftshot said:
I'll kick it off.

In general, early on most of the golfers I played with had a starting point they wanted to try. Some said they wanted the flag out because that was what they were used to doing. Others said the flag in looked weird to them and they thought having it in would hurt their putting. Others were willing to go with the flow. Still, others wanted to experiment with the flag in.

Mixed in was more than a little awkwardness around the green. Out of habit, some would grab the flag or have the urge to when they saw everybody's ball on the green. Some weren't sure how to proceed or what to say. Some would seek a consensus on having the flag in or out. When the flag came out, some out of habit put it way off the green, only to find someone wanted it in when it was their turn.

After a while, some new patterns began to emerge. Folks would start asking the first player up whether they wanted the flag in or out, and if out more people started to hang onto the flagstick, so they could reinsert it if another player wanted it in. After some time, more and more players are experimenting with the flag in. More and more I'm seeing whole groups keeping the flag in for the whole time. If you are in the group behind them, you can now shoot the flag with your range finder while they putt, as opposed to waiting until they are done and replace the flag.

Those are a few things I've observed in casual play and competition in the first 2 months.
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I've played 5 or 6 rounds this year, most of them were just my dad and I, but 2 of them were with randoms we were paired up with. We've left the stick in for all rounds. One of the gentleman I played with would occasionally ask for the flag out based on having an uphill putt, but that was no issue.
 
Generally leaving the pin in for the first putt or two from longer range where previously someone would tend the pin. Then the pin gets pulled for one of two reasons:

1 - our holes are usually on a slope as a flat spot on any of our greens is rare. As a result, the pin always seems to be leaning in one direction or another, or
2 - there is so much wind here in North Texas that, again, the pin always seems to be leaning.
 
Phil75070 said:
Generally leaving the pin in for the first putt or two from longer range where previously someone would tend the pin. Then the pin gets pulled for one of two reasons:

1 - our holes are usually on a slope as a flat spot on any of our greens is rare. As a result, the pin always seems to be leaning in one direction or another, or
2 - there is so much wind here in North Texas that, again, the pin always seems to be leaning.
Click to expand...

Good point about the wind. Windy weather has occurred to me as one thing that would definitely cause me to pull the flag more.
 
Our 2 groups leave it in all the time. Speeds up play too. I use the pin as a target, hit the pin. I've seen an improvement in my putting by thinking "hit the pin". Not leaving hardly any putts short this year since the new rule.
 
I generally leave it in unless my playing partners decide to pull it.


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We’ve always left it in to save time if we all have long putts, but it gets pulled once we’re close. In my opinion, for putts inside 20’ or so, leaving it in makes the hole look smaller. But I will think about it for speedy downhillers occasionally.


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pmm21 said:
I have officially switched to leaving it in 100% of the time. Other than habit, I see no reason to pull it.
Click to expand...

Same here. Haven't pulled it once in 4 rounds.
Only time I think I'll pull it going forward is if the flagstick won't sit squarely in the hole. In the past, seems like some flags wouldn't sit right in the cup, leaning sideways due to a bad fit in the base. But so far I haven't encountered that since the rule change, so I'm thinking the courses have fixed that before it became an issue.
I love hitting short putts with the flag in. I like to hit them with enough speed to use the flag as a backboard.
 
Long putts I'm leaving the pin in. Midrange it's a debate depending on if its leaning towards me or not. Short, one of my partners has probably already pulled the pin.

I have had some putts definitely go in by leaving the pin in.

If I'm playing alone I leave the pin in mostly because I am lazy.

Main thoughts I have is that once the pin is pulled its pulled and not being put back in until everyone holes out.
 
I have no desire to pull it, ever. Whether or not it stays in depends on the group I’m playing with. It seems like the longer a guy has been playing golf, and the better he is, the more likely he wants it pulled. Not a concrete rule by any means, but generally how it tends to go.

Looking around our courses while I’m out there, I’d say the majority are still pulling it.
 
Most everyone I have played with just left it in. Of course I play on a mostly public course so some of then were probably playing that way before.
 
I really don't care. Usually the group collectively keeps it the same.

I have had 1 person who doesn't like putting with the flag in, and if that's the case then he either putts last from wherever he is or I simply just yank the pin and toss it on the green. It doesn't matter.
 
I will leave it in except on shorter putts on very windy days. I’m guessing most of the guys I regularly play with will leave it in all the time as well.
 
I started out leaving it in all the time. I believe the benefits are well documented for leaving it in. However, lately (maybe my last 2-3 rounds), I've been pulling the flag on my "short" putts. I put "short" in quotation marks because I mean it to be purposely vague. Basically, anything I intend to make, or feel I have a 50/50 or greater shot at making, I'm pulling the flag. If I'm 30' away, I'm lagging it and I'll leave the flag in. I realize pulling the flag technically lowers my chances of making the putt, but I have a mental block with putting the shorter putts with it in. I was missing 3-6' putts that I feel I should have made. They were all ridiculous pulls or pushes. Since I started pulling it for "short" putts, I've had 29 putts in one round and 15 for 9 today. Not great, but much better than the first 2 months or so this year.

All that being said, I won't pull it for a tap in of 1' or so or less. I'd say 2' to around 10' is the zone.

leftshot said:
If you are in the group behind them, you can now shoot the flag with your range finder while they putt, as opposed to waiting until they are done and replace the flag.
Click to expand...

This is an unintended benefit, I think. I've never thought of it because I use a phone app for distances, but for those who use rangefinders, I can see where this would be a good thing.

As for the people I play with, I play with strangers more often than not. I can do whatever. I don't mind if someone wants to pull it as soon as we hit the green, but when I get close, I will pull it out still.
 
I've been playing with it in unless it comes out for someone else. In the 7-8 rounds I've played this year most left it in on long putts and then pulled it within 10 ft. I had one guy that wanted it in on everything, those 2-3 footers were annoying if we had to put the flag back in.

I have lost 1 stroke because of the flag being in and it was in a tournament. It was about a 15 footer that hit the center of the pin and bounce back about a foot. Nobody in my group could believe it. The entire group's mind was changed about leaving it in for the rest of the round. I've since gone back to leaving it in, but it will take a while before I forgot that miss.
 
I've been playing with it in. My regular playing partner has been as well, but he is now opting to pull it. Says his brain keeps trying not to hit the stick. I have had it cost me 2 strokes in one round. The course apparently changed the flag sticks or painted them or something. Dead center putts without a lot of speed bounced off. I couldn't believe it. Messed around to see if it was a fluke and nope. Those sticks reacted differently than the norm. Check the pin before you decide to leave it in.

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I have started leaving the pin in on putts across the green or from a distance of about 30ft or more. Other than that if I'm confident at all about the putt i pull it. I've had the stick hurt me on more than one occasion so far. Also it depends on what the flagstick is made out of. Wooden is a 100% pull while fiberglass is more forgiving and absorbs better.
 
Mixed, and I'm OK either way, but I do miss that cup sound with an open hole, may have to add a bells at the top of the flags, ding!
 
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