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Pulling The Pin

Diane

Diane

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I play with a couple of people who never pull the pin. I've also played with people who always want to pull the pin (they're usually men). I was complaining once about people who don't pull the pin and my brother asked why I was complaining. He pointed out that if I always pulled it - it would give me the opportunity to pace off my putt. So are you the first one to grab the pin, do the people in your group take turns or are you the lazy one? If you do, do you pace your putts off?
 
My former group always had the guy closet to the pin pull it.
 
The way I see it, whoever is going to putt last should pull the pin. However, if someone is walking across the green to their ball and they walk right by the pin, there's no reason that person should not pull the pin if no one needs it in.
 
To me pulling the flag is more about who is closer based on whose ball is located where. Regarding who puts the flag back I usually stand by the flag if I am the first to putt out as long as it isn’t going to affect the visual of someone. In the end it really should be somewhat seamless for both removing and replacing the flag.
 
If I am alone I never pull them, I just eye ball the distance. (Yes, I know the penalty) If with a group, or in sanctioned play, if I'm the nearest, I will pull the pin.
 
I think it all depends on who I'm playing with,the conditions, the pace of play or the pace I'm playing at. If I'm alone why pull or with someone else and we're doing hyper pace golf why pull? If you're going by the rules though hitting that flagstick when putting from the green will cost you. Actually it doesn't bother me either way ...to each his own in a casual setting anyway. Now if it's for money that's another thing all together.
 
Smallville said:
The way I see it, whoever is going to putt last should pull the pin. However, if someone is walking across the green to their ball and they walk right by the pin, there's no reason that person should not pull the pin if no one needs it in.
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That's my feeling too. Unless someone walks by it and pulls it, the last person to putt pulls the pin, and the first person to hole out is responsible for replacing it.
 
Harry Longshanks said:
That's my feeling too. Unless someone walks by it and pulls it, the last person to putt pulls the pin, and the first person to hole out is responsible for replacing it.
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In that case Smalls will be responsible for pulling and replacing the pin a lot this week.:D
 
YEARS ago when I caddied, that was a point of contention when two caddies were assigned to a foursome, each carrying "doubles." If you didn't pull your share of the pins, you heard about it. It wasn't a big deal, but it gave the "non pin-pulling caddy" a chance to relax for a minute or two, or walk out on the next hole to spot tee shots.

Today when we play, the person who putts last pulls the pin.
 
I was playing with a friend of mine and his wife. My friend is notorious for not pulling the pin. So on the 15th hole his wife says to him:

Wife: James, do you know how much a flagstick weighs?
James: No, never thought about it
Wife: Well, if you ever took one out of the hole you might know.

We all fell over laughing.
 
I can safely say I've never heard discussion about taking the flag out in my life. It always seems like it's obvious who should do it and every time I've ever played that person does it.

Putting it back again is a whole different story though. That's where mchepp's story has been used on many occasions. First in should put the pin back. One exception I can think of to that would be if the cart girl appears and someone is buying the refreshments, then they are excused from flag duty to go do that. That's about it though.
 
Ty_Webb said:
I can safely say I've never heard discussion about taking the flag out in my life. It always seems like it's obvious who should do it and every time I've ever played that person does it.

Putting it back again is a whole different story though. That's where mchepp's story has been used on many occasions. First in should put the pin back. One exception I can think of to that would be if the cart girl appears and someone is buying the refreshments, then they are excused from flag duty to go do that. That's about it though.
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I'm with Ty on this one.

The thing I'd like to see is some kind of class for people who tend flagsticks.

I can't count how many times, when someone is tending the flagstick, that person leans on the stick a bit as he attempts to remove it (after someone has putted and their ball is now rolling towards him), and it gets stuck in the cup.
Now the look of abject terror and embarrassment on the face of this person is priceless and worth every moment, but what I don't like is that often this person - now in near full mental meltdown as the ball is rapidly approaching the hole - ends up pulling the entire cup out of the ground or is shuffling about so much that he's scuffing the grass around the cup with his spikes.

It's real simple folks: Gently pull the flagstick straight up out of its hole BEFORE someone putts and just let it rest lightly on the rim at the bottom of the cup. Then, when someone actually does putt, all you'll have to do is to lift your arm and the flagstick will come with it.

(I still think they should have a class for this).


-JP
 
JPsuff said:
I'm with Ty on this one.

The thing I'd like to see is some kind of class for people who tend flagsticks.

I can't count how many times, when someone is tending the flagstick, that person leans on the stick a bit as he attempts to remove it (after someone has putted and their ball is now rolling towards him), and it gets stuck in the cup.
Now the look of abject terror and embarrassment on the face of this person is priceless and worth every moment, but what I don't like is that often this person - now in near full mental meltdown as the ball is rapidly approaching the hole - ends up pulling the entire cup out of the ground or is shuffling about so much that he's scuffing the grass around the cup with his spikes.

It's real simple folks: Gently pull the flagstick straight up out of its hole BEFORE someone putts and just let it rest lightly on the rim at the bottom of the cup. Then, when someone actually does putt, all you'll have to do is to lift your arm and the flagstick will come with it.

(I still think they should have a class for this).


-JP
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Hopefully it's the same class to teach people to pick their feet up when they walk on the greens :banghead:
 
hopefully that class will instruct in fixing ball marks as well
 
jefffann said:
hopefully that class will instruct in fixing ball marks as well
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Sadly, THAT class would likely require an entire semester.


-JP
 
I hate it when people carelessly gack the grass on the lip with the flagstick.
 
Generally, the closest to the pin takes it out and the first to hole out picks it up and replaces it when the last putt has fallen. I also have a pet peeve about dropping it from 5ft onto a green. If possible, I like to see the pin put on the collar instead of on the green surface and if it is put on the green that it be done gently. I don't know how many flagstick shaped indentions I have seen in the greens over the years. No need for it.
 
C-Tech said:
I also have a pet peeve about dropping it from 5ft onto a green. If possible, I like to see the pin put on the collar instead of on the green surface and if it is put on the green that it be done gently. I don't know how many flagstick shaped indentions I have seen in the greens over the years. No need for it.
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Me too C-tech, on the collar. Indentations not only throwing the flag down, but holding it up and leaning on it.

fireman07 said:
I don't pull it unless I'm play with a group that does.
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Fireman-

You know it's a 2 stroke penalty if your ball is on the green and it goes in the hole while the pin is in, right?

I mean, if you are out for a casual round and no one cares, it's no big deal. But if you are keeping score . . .

17-3. Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant

The player's ball must not strike:

a. The flagstick when it is attended, removed or held up;
b. The person attending or holding up the flagstick or anything carried by him; or
c. The flagstick in the hole, unattended, when the stroke has been made on the putting green.

Exception: When the flagstick is attended, removed or held up without the player's authority - see Rule 17-2.

Penalty for Breach of Rule 17-3:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes and the ball must be played as it lies.
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Harry Longshanks said:
That's my feeling too. Unless someone walks by it and pulls it, the last person to putt pulls the pin, and the first person to hole out is responsible for replacing it.
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I hate playing in groups that the first person never thinks about picking up the pin and at times leaves it for the last guy to putt.:banghead:
 
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