indicators or colored flags for pin location

[rollin]

Tried a search but didnt see one for this so forgive if been discussed or join in anyway.

where i use to live my local munis used the red, white, blue flags for front, center, back.

And where i live now they use to use the little indicator on the pole raised up or down to inform of placement. But some years ago they did away with them and to this day years later people still always mention a complaint about it now and then. Nowadays with the range finders it makes it easier but still many dont have them and even if they do they may not be lasers.

Played with someone last week that brought it up and he said he actualy called the county not long ago and offered to buy such markers or etc cause he just felt they nevr should of did away with them. The answer he got was the same reason they gave years ago. Said to him, thank you for the generosity but we believe for the level of play in the county that we want people to just aim for the center of the green cause it helps pace.

While i can understand that logic it doesnt work. You constantly see people waste time trying to figure where the pin looks to be as far as front to back. One can be right next to a marker and if the pin was marked would know to club up or down without a finder. But now he has to take out his finder because the pin isnt marked. If one doesnt have a finder he stares at it trying to figure or ask where it is.I very often still get the questioned asked to me and i ask it often to others too as for as "is that pin up or back?". I think it has always wasted more time and worked against thier logic and almost anyone feels the same way when ever someone brings it up.

Would you agree with them? Does your course have any indication for placement? do you think its bad or good to have?

 

[blugold]

my home course has the greens separated in to zones A B C D E & F. There is a sign in the proshop indicated the day's pin placements.

 

[rollin]

my home course has the greens separated in to zones A B C D E & F. There is a sign in the proshop indicated the day's pin placements.

yes the guy speaking of the situation last week even mentioned posting something very easy with no cost and but they just wont do it.

 

[blugold]

That's their choice. It is nice to have that information, but I don't think a course is required to indicate anything. Plus, with the extended use of laser range finders and GPS units I think the need for indicators is diminishing.

 

[TheDoctor]

I have only ever played a couple of courses that provided some sort of pin placement identification

One course obviously used a set rotation of pin placements and before you went out you were given a sheet showing the greens with each of the possible locations identified by a letter and you were informed which letter was in use that day. Another course had a similar method but had a separate sheet for each set of pin placements which meant they were able to include distances from the front/side of the green so they gave you the relevant sheet for the day

A course I played recently used different coloured flags (red, white and yellow) for front, middle or back of the green. The pro shop also made a point of saying that all of the yardages were to the centre of the green (some courses here give them to the front, others to the centre which can make a bit of a difference) so we had a fair idea of how far it would be to the pin - not as accurate as the first method above, but still helpful

I think some form of identifying the pin placements is very helpful, especially for people who don't play there regularly but only if the pro shop take the time to explain the local method

 

[gts1982]

I hate when they aren't indicated by at least color. I want to know where that cup is. I played a course just last Friday that didn't indicate them and it was very annoying.

 

[rollin]

I think some form of identifying the pin placements is very helpful, especially for people who don't play there regularly but only if the pro shop take the time to explain the local method

Yea and I just dont get thier logic because most anyone who play at any level always try to dtermine front center back and takes time to do so.

 

[oiler3535]

Every course I've ever played have the 3 colours for front/middle/back, and nearly all are red/white/blue. I've seen courses that have the greens broken up into 6 quadrants, but have never had the pro shop actually know where the pins were, so I'm assuming that's only used for tournaments. I think all courses should at least have the f/m/b markers unless the greens are very small. But beyond that, I think it's unnecessary at the average golfer level.

Plus, as the rules of golf don't allow for the use of gps/lasers anyway unless specifically noted by the course, the course shouldn't have to take them into account. They probably should as so many people use them anyway, but no reason to. Assuming that, I can understand just having centre marked since just aiming there could conceivably save time.

 

[Hawk]

We have all three. Small flag on the pole at either low/middle/high, colored red/white/blue, and places that have pin sheets. Don't really care which one it is, but there needs to be something.


My course last year hosted a college tourney and after it was done I played. For some reason, the colored flags didn't match with the standard front/middle/back placements and it was confusing as hell.

 

[asoclu]

Our club uses pictures of each green on the scorecard as well as flag locator cards posted on each cart, and then a location marked 1-6 for different areas of the green, front back middle left center, and /or right. Works pretty well, however, I really like the system with distances to front of green and then flag cards indicating yards from front and from left or right edge of green.

 

[CharlieMoy]

My course last year hosted a college tourney and after it was done I played. For some reason, the colored flags didn't match with the standard front/middle/back placements and it was confusing as hell.

That's because they had a pin sheet that day. Because they had a pin sheet they left the colors there from the day before.

 

[Hawk]

That's because they had a pin sheet that day. Because they had a pin sheet they left the colors there from the day before.

Yea, I figured as much. It doesn't sound like it should be confusing, but when you see a blue pin on what looks like it should be a front placement it's just a mindeffer.

 

[Kobey]

I like the colored flags. You can immediately tell where the pin is, even from the tee box. That might even help some of the better people that want to play to a number.

 

[bulldog]

City courses here use both. They change the back from blue to yellow because a high number of men are color blind. Sometimes I forget the "lil" flags & see the yellow flag & take too much club..lol
tap'n from my big as Note2

 

[jmatt]

Standard front/middle/back flags. Greens aren't really big or severe enough at my course that the day's placements are noted anywhere, although I've seen it done when we host a Provincial competition of some sort.

Depending on the size of the greens, I find the 3 colors give me all the info I could need, particularly combined with fairway markers. If I had to pick one of those, give me the fairway markers every time and I'll guess at the flag.

 

[Smallville]

I asked the pro at my course about that last year and he said we didn't hem because most of the greens were small. Now that the average size went from 1500 sq feet to 4500 sq feet, I am curious whether they will change that.

 

[RayG]

A few use the red/white/blue system. A couple use the wiffle ball on the flagstick- high-rear, low-front. BUT you should be paying attention if the group in front is putting. You can get a good idea of HOW FAR back, or HOW FAR in the front the pin actually is by where they are putting to and where they might be when the put the flagstick back in. Not precise, but if your course doesn't use any of the methods mentioned, you get some idea of what's going on.

 

[Wake]

City courses here use both. They change the back from blue to yellow because a high number of men are color blind. Sometimes I forget the "lil" flags & see the yellow flag & take too much club..lol
tap'n from my big as Note2

That is odd, since the majority of those that are color blind are red/green color blind, it would make more sense to change the Red. It often take me a second to pick out a red flag against a solid green background.

 

[bulldog]

I was told they couldn't distinguish between the red & blue

tap'n from my big as Note2

 

[Fourputt]

Tried a search but didnt see one for this so forgive if been discussed or join in anyway.

where i use to live my local munis used the red, white, blue flags for front, center, back.

And where i live now they use to use the little indicator on the pole raised up or down to inform of placement. But some years ago they did away with them and to this day years later people still always mention a complaint about it now and then. Nowadays with the range finders it makes it easier but still many dont have them and even if they do they may not be lasers.

Played with someone last week that brought it up and he said he actualy called the county not long ago and offered to buy such markers or etc cause he just felt they nevr should of did away with them. The answer he got was the same reason they gave years ago. Said to him, thank you for the generosity but we believe for the level of play in the county that we want people to just aim for the center of the green cause it helps pace.

While i can understand that logic it doesnt work. You constantly see people waste time trying to figure where the pin looks to be as far as front to back. One can be right next to a marker and if the pin was marked would know to club up or down without a finder. But now he has to take out his finder because the pin isnt marked. If one doesnt have a finder he stares at it trying to figure or ask where it is.I very often still get the questioned asked to me and i ask it often to others too as for as "is that pin up or back?". I think it has always wasted more time and worked against thier logic and almost anyone feels the same way when ever someone brings it up.

Would you agree with them? Does your course have any indication for placement? do you think its bad or good to have?

My home course uses the red, white, and blue method. They tried the little flag indicators, but they would sometimes slip down (or be intentionally moved by some jackasses who thought they were being funny) and give a false reading, so they went back to the color code.

I've played a few courses which had a pin chart on the scorecard with each green divided into 3 sections. At the first tee they tell you what the pin is that day. If it's 2, then you just look at the chart for that hole and on the 1st hole, position #2 might be the middle third, then on the 2nd it might be the back third, etc. It's set up so that each day there 6 front, 6 middle and 6 back, and it still gives them a lot of flexibility for left or right, or a bit closer to the edges, or to tuck it in a harder spot behind a bunker while still staying in the designated third of the green for that day.

 

[wadesworld]

Personally, I like the colored flag system, since I often forget to look at the pin placement before I walk over to my ball. However, it's important to use very different colors or different patterns on the flags. Nothings more annoying than thinking "is that a blue or a black flag?"

 

[ddec]

Last year my home course did the flag color thing, Red was front, white was middle, and blue was back. However this year they must be planning on doing something different as they ordered all new pins and flags and they are all identical. Another course I play frequently does it based on a number system, 1, 2, or 3. They tell you what the pin locations are for that day on the 1st tee and then you have a diagram in each cart. I kind of prefer the flag color scenarios

 

[blackjack]

My home course uses the red, white, and blue method. They tried the little flag indicators, but they would sometimes slip down (or be intentionally moved by some jackasses who thought they were being funny) and give a false reading, so they went back to the color code.

I've played a few courses which had a pin chart on the scorecard with each green divided into 3 sections. At the first tee they tell you what the pin is that day. If it's 2, then you just look at the chart for that hole and on the 1st hole, position #2 might be the middle third, then on the 2nd it might be the back third, etc. It's set up so that each day there 6 front, 6 middle and 6 back, and it still gives them a lot of flexibility for left or right, or a bit closer to the edges, or to tuck it in a harder spot behind a bunker while still staying in the designated third of the green for that day.

This is what we have, the pin positions of 1,2,or 3. It is a good day when the majority of them are where they say.

 

[robn311]

The course I usually play uses red/white/blue flags. I think it's important to have some sort of indicator for a couple of reasons. I use a GPS, but still need to know where on the green the hole is if I want to take full advantage of it. Plus, depending on the green, a front vs. back pin, that could mean a club or two difference.

 

[Spiritomb]

The one course I play at, has blue, white, red flags. While the other course I play, that's nicer does not have them, go figure.