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Flagsticks - Lets go back to normal already!

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I had a birdie putt rejected by the flagstick alterations , no doubt. I don't know if others have seen this setup, but it is one where a hook lever is attached to the flag stick that is meant to be elevated by your putter head after the ball goes in. You lift on the lever which raises a little plate on the bottom lifting your ball out of the hole. Well that lever is attached to the flagstick and stands out approximately 1/2 inch from the flagstick. My birdie putt was gently going in the center of the cup, hit that lever, and pop backwards out of the hole. Total robbery from a poor set up. I have also seen pool noodles not down far enough that have rejected golf balls. People still reach into the cup to get their golf ball like they would if there were no alterations at all, so I would like to see things back to normal and use common sense in your approach to these sort of things in reference to covid-19. As far as leaving the flagstick in or taking it out I don't mind either way.
 
We had a foursome of idiots come to our course to play and they kept taking the flags out. They were playing in front of us so we watched them for a few holes then called the Pro shop. The Marshall came out and told them to leave the flags in. When the Marshall drove away they continued to remove the flags. At this point we met up with them at one of the tee boxes and gave them not a warning but threats. These idiots came to our course from a location that's a hot spot and had no regard for safety.

Keep the flags in and use common sense.
 
With or without safety protocols in place is ok with me. I already carry a handy wipe dispenser with me as it is.

I do believe golf courses are 100% safer than grocery stores, sit down restrauants, and any where else large groups of people are located.

I would still refrain from touching flag sticks as much as possible, if at all.

I do think noodles in the the hole, and just "tapping" the flag stick with the ball saves a little time.....18 times a round. Notice I said "tapping" and not bouncing, or ricocheting the ball off the pin where it stops several feet away. A little common sense goes a long ways in this situation. .

I'm at that age, with some health issues, that catching the virus could probably end me. So, with that, I have no problem wanting to keep safety measures in use.

I don't see this virus going away, or being controlled anytime soon. It's already been documented that reinfections are the real deal.

Future, yearly vaccinations might be the only answer to controlling it.
 
I pay so little attention to that, that I honestly couldn't tell you if our course still has them or not LOL!
 
Our group is flexible with pin in or out. A virus baking in the sun doesn't last long so spread wasn't a concern. We definitely prefer to pull the pin when it's windy. This factor influenced in/out decision more than covid.
 
One of the courses I play use a golf ball lifter in the holes which I think is great. Much better than pool noodles or pvc pipes.

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ddec said:
I think Covid has shown that putting with the flagstick in is not the big deal everyone wanted to make it out to be. I'm all for keeping them in.
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This is basically my view.
 
1ironrocks said:
Nope. Leave the flags as they are. You americans have to learn how best to fight the Covid virus. What is the problem you people?
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Scott F said:
One of the courses I play use a golf ball lifter in the holes which I think is great. Much better than pool noodles or pvc pipes.

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I’m surprised I still haven’t seen one of these on any of the courses I play. Seems neat!
 
Afizzle2100 said:
I had a hole in one “stolen” from me because of the pool noodle and also had an eagle “stolen” from me during a pool noodle this year.

There’s no way for me to actually know if they would have went in with the noodles out, but if I never get a hole in one I’m gonna be telling my grandkids about that one.
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If the ball kicked out because of the pool noodle, that ball is in the hole. I didn’t even think there was a question about that. Congrats on he HIO
 
I have been running into a lot of leaning flagsticks in my area... I don't know why, but I've been readjusting them frequently when tilted toward my direction of play. I've had a bunch of putts deflect off leaning pins and those funky little sprocket collars that go on the pins to prop the ball up. I think there is a measure of inconsistency course to course on methods used and how they affect if a putt will "drop".

I'm definitely ready to have the option for flag out golf.
 
I still prefer putting with the flagstick out, but if this simple rule makes the powers that be feel like we are safer, then I'm all for keeping it in. I'm all for keeping things open.
 
I really haven't seen much issue either. I've always been a flagstick in proponent, assuming the pin isn't leaning too far one way or the other, so I could really care less. I find the lack of sand bottles and rakes a larger issue personally, but that is the unfortunate reality these days.
 
tequila4kapp said:
If the ball kicked out because of the pool noodle, that ball is in the hole. I didn’t even think there was a question about that. Congrats on he HIO
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That's kind of how I feel about pool noodles. If it got down far enough to bounce off the noodle, it was below the rim and should have stayed there. I've seen noodles cut so high the ball barely goes in halfway.
 
I carry a towel with me to the green for cleaning the ball al the time. I pull the flag....using the towel. It gets in the laundry when i got home
 
wubears71 said:
I still prefer putting with the flagstick out, but if this simple rule makes the powers that be feel like we are safer, then I'm all for keeping it in. I'm all for keeping things open.
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Amen to that!
 
I prefer the flag out, but I've grown used to the flag in. Doesn't bother me really and it does seem to save some time. I do still prefer the flag out when it's very windy but that has more to do with the flags leaning and flapping around more than anything. But I agree with @wubears71 in whatever it takes to keep the courses open.
 
Either way, isn't going to make much difference in my life. I'm a back of the hole putter, so I've had to make some adjustments with the stick in, but some days they all go in, some days they seem to all hit the hit stick and stay out. Golf.
 
1ironrocks said:
We had a foursome of idiots come to our course to play and they kept taking the flags out. They were playing in front of us so we watched them for a few holes then called the Pro shop. The Marshall came out and told them to leave the flags in. When the Marshall drove away they continued to remove the flags. At this point we met up with them at one of the tee boxes and gave them not a warning but threats. These idiots came to our course from a location that's a hot spot and had no regard for safety.

Keep the flags in and use common sense.
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If you're not touching the flag stick after them, whats the worry?
 
I’ve been pool noodled on a couple putts. I look forward to those being removed eventually. Flag in though doesn’t bother me
 
Even before COVID I am a big fan of keeping the flagstick in.
 
I am one that liked having the flagstick in the cup but agree I wouldn't mind removing the pool noodle and the option to remove the flagstick on shorter putts.

I like to hear the ball fall in the cup. And some of our pool noodles are so high up to the cup the ball can roll right over them and out the other end if hit a bit too hard.
 
We don't have rakes in the traps but we can take the flagsticks out now.
 
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