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Tending the Flag .... does anyone REALLY know how?

Good list. Learned a lot as a caddie. I actually had more knowledge than a lot of the golfers.

Definitely keep the flag wrapped and from moving and keep the shadow off of the hole. Try not to step in any other golfer's line if possible. And make sure to lay the flag out of the way....off the green if it's fairly close. As for which side, that is often decided by the sun or where other golfers lines are. And a big one, when you take it out of the cup and put it back in...pay attention...it's fairly easy to take a divot or mess up the cup if you're not. And if you do, just fix it.
 
I am more worried about where the rest of the group is first than I am about shadows and being above the hole. Then I get out of the shadows, and shortly thereafter determine whether I can avoid being in their line of sight.

I think the one thing that annoys most of who I play with is pulling the flag out and standing there with it at a 45 degree angle. If the point is to show the hole to the putter, why make him guess?
 
I pull the flag first, just to make sure it isn't stuck in the hole. Wrap the flag, stand at arms length with my shadow away from the hole and pull the flag as soon as the putt is hit. Unfortunately, not everyone is quite as considerate as me and I've often had to ask people to move to the otherside as the hole sits in their shadow.
 
The shadow thing is easy to learn. Find the flagstick shadow, go stand there.
 
Looks like I have a good start to this, though I need to watch where I stand. I suppose there are times where you'd have to stand high side so as not to cast a shadow over the putt line. Which should take precedence?
 
I saw a kid get penalized last year over another kid tending the flag for him. Kid 1 (The putter) asked Kid 2 to tend the flag. When Kid 1 got his line and made the putt, kid 2 waited too long to try and pull the flag. The flag stick got stuck in the bottom of the cup and the ball struck it. Not only was a putt that would have gone in ended up missing, Kid 1 got penalized for his ball striking the flag. I think that's a 2 stroke penalty. He lost the match by 1 and it wasn't even his fault IMO.

It's rare that we have a need to actually tend the flag for a putt because most greens around here are relatively flat, but on occasion... Occasionally someone will ask to tend a flag when they are chipping which I don't believe you are supposed to "legally" do. Off the green the flag is either in or out, but for a friendly round, who cares. I've even taken some really long putts and left the flag in.

I would say that me and my group generally are in compliance with the steps that you've listed.
 
Man, people must really hate playing with me. So much to think about.
 
Avoid the stress, and ask for the pin pulled out. Problem solved.
 
tpluff said:
Man, people must really hate playing with me. So much to think about.
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When you are dropping bombs with pin point accuracy on the pin, you don't have to worry about it. Most of your putts are tap ins aren't they?
 
I only worry about 3 things when asked to tend the flag.

1. Don't stand in anybody's line
2. Make sure the flagstick isn't stuck in the hole
3. Make sure my shadow isn't covering the hole
 
Don't forget: lay the flag down gently. I cringe every time I see someone just toss it casually.
 
I pull the pin and javelin throw it to the nearest bunker.
 
Texasbrons said:
Occasionally someone will ask to tend a flag when they are chipping which I don't believe you are supposed to "legally" do.
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You can have the flagstick attended at any time.
 
Texasbrons said:
I saw a kid get penalized last year over another kid tending the flag for him. Kid 1 (The putter) asked Kid 2 to tend the flag. When Kid 1 got his line and made the putt, kid 2 waited too long to try and pull the flag. The flag stick got stuck in the bottom of the cup and the ball struck it. Not only was a putt that would have gone in ended up missing, Kid 1 got penalized for his ball striking the flag. I think that's a 2 stroke penalty. He lost the match by 1 and it wasn't even his fault IMO.

It's rare that we have a need to actually tend the flag for a putt because most greens around here are relatively flat, but on occasion... Occasionally someone will ask to tend a flag when they are chipping which I don't believe you are supposed to "legally" do. Off the green the flag is either in or out, but for a friendly round, who cares. I've even taken some really long putts and left the flag in.

I would say that me and my group generally are in compliance with the steps that you've listed.
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Almost happened to me, just anxious to get the pin out and it stuck and started to pull the cup. At least it was a long enough put to push it back down and pull straight up and out. I always pull and lean the pin now if tending. Leason learn!
 
I am not sure I ever seen a situation with the flag that bothered me or made me notice something was amiss. I am not too picky though, shadows and that stuff doesn't bother me, so it may just be my ignorance.
 
captaincaution said:
You can have the flagstick attended at any time.
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Sounds good to me. I've people say you can and some say you can't. Matters not to me personally, you ask me to tend the flag for you while you're chipping, I'll do it. Don't want me to, I'm fine with that too. I've never actually been interested enough or been in an official event where it would be an issue to look up that particular rule. Thanks though, I'll keep that in mind.
 
golfinnut said:
Watch the caddies on Tour. It should be done just as they do it.
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I have to say this, the caddies on tour are getting paid to tend the flag, if I'm doing it for my playing partners, it's out of the goodness of my heart and common courtesy, but he isn't paying me, unless I'm winning!
 
Playdough said:
I pull the pin and javelin throw it to the nearest bunker.
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That was ONE TIME!

If I saw someone do that I would probably laugh so hard it hurt.
 
Mward said:
That was ONE TIME!

If I saw someone do that I would probably laugh so hard it hurt.
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Haha...I was laughing so hard just typing and picturing that in my head.
 
I don't need attending, I'm always 3 feet away.

Seriously...I only ask someone to attend the flagstick if I can't see the hole.

When I attend the flagstick I wrap the flag, hold the stick straight up, stand as far away from the hole as possible, and depending on sun I stand so that shadows don't disturb. Lo side hi side...if the player has any preference or it would help him he can ask me to stand where he wants me, everybody's different and most amateurs don't even come close to the hole if they are so far away that they need to have the stick attended.

One should always take care of the flag if he holes out.

If the guy who holes out and doesn't do anything, the second who holes out should bite his lip and pick up the flag.

After a few holes the guy who never picks it up...ask him if he knows how much the flagstick weighs? - No
- Well maybe you should pick it up sometime ;)
 
Great list. I do all of the above except for standing on the low side. Never knew that one, but it makes sense. Common sense is not so common.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
 
I think this is good to learn. I think it's important to do it the right way. I don't think though that if you don't do it exactly as the pro caddies do it's a huge foul though.
 
The pic by Orange Hog where Steve Williams is holding the flag for Adam Scott is exactly what I am talking about. Take the flag out of the actual hole and rest it on the side of the cup not resting on turf but the cup itself. Grab the flag ... stand as far from the hole as possible. Do as the caddies do!

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
 
Orange Hog said:
I wrap the flag, hold the stick in and try to stand away from the cup as much as possible to give the player putting a clear sight line. Like Ward said, sometimes the shadow thing is tough.

I've seen a lot of shenanigans out there so I just try to offer to tend it and do the best job I can to give the other person a clear putt. For those tending for me I'll at least ask them to wrap the flag (if they didn't already).

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and don't forget to stand at attention with one arm tucked away
And no -
clearing of the throat,
chewing gum,
blowing bubbles,
burping,
coughing,
sniffling,
sneezing,
and last but not least
no farting
 
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