Do you think the USGA should set a standard for the flagstick/cup issue going forward?

jdtox

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Obviously we most of us have experienced golf under this Covid-19 time. We have seen upside down cups, stryofoam in the hole and plastic discs. We have also seen a contraption that you raise with your putter to get the ball out of the hole. Every course I have played has had something different and it has affected my experience both positively and negatively. Do you think there should be some sort of standard set by the USGA going forward or do you think everything is going to return to normal when this is over and just let things be the way they are?
 
oh god, most of us want the USGA out of the game lol But that being said, I do wish there was a standard practice for it.
 
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oh god, most of us want the USGA out of the game lol But that being said, I do wish there was a standard practice for it.
LOL I knew I'd get that response but no idea how long this is going to last and I do wish there was something that would make it a standard. I mean the cup is standard right?
 
LOL I knew I'd get that response but no idea how long this is going to last and I do wish there was something that would make it a standard. I mean the cup is standard right?

So I haven't played yet. But I feel like I would be in favor of the hole being shallowed out by foam. I wouldn't have to bend down quite as far haha
 
I don't see a standard coming at all until there is at least a vaccine produced. There is just too much uncertainty, so it will stay the same until that point
 
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So I haven't played yet. But I feel like I would be in favor of the hole being shallowed out by foam. I wouldn't have to bend down quite as far haha
I've played only 3 times but each time was totally different. Once had a plastic disc that was ok, once had upside down cups that was poorly done and a complete joke, the last was the foam where the ball actually went into the hole. If the governing body came out and said it should be this way I wonder if courses would even listen?
 
I've played only 3 times but each time was totally different. Once had a plastic disc that was ok, once had upside down cups that was poorly done and a complete joke, the last was the foam where the ball actually went into the hole. If the governing body came out and said it should be this way I wonder if courses would even listen?

Of those 3 which was your favorite?
 
i've experienced raised cups and styrofoam.

neither impacted my enjoyment or overall experience. sure a standard would be nice but i'm just happy to be playing again.
 
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Of those 3 which was your favorite?
The foam was far and away the best experience. The ball actually went in the hole but was easily retrieved without touching anything. The plastic disc was a close second, it sat up a little higher which didn't allow the ball to go in as far but it also looked more professional than the foam.
 
Yes. If they care what I think I’d prefer the ball goes in the hole so either foam of upside down cups. Raised kinda sucks.
 
I have not been fortunate enough to play under any of the Covid-19 flagstick / cup revisions. I would think that the pool noodle thing in the cup would be the most palatable option for me. If we are going to have to continue much into the future with restrictions, I do think adopting one set standard of flagstick / cup revision is probably best.
 
The course I played this weekend had something inside that shallowed out the hole. That seem to work fine. The ball still dropped in and you could easily remove it without touching anything. I could see a ball potentially bouncing out if it had way too much speed but for 95% of putts I think it behaved true.

That said I can't see the USGA getting involved in this unless it becomes something more permanent.
 
Yes! Just make it standard that foam stops 2 inches below the edge of the cup! How hard could it be?! (he asks naively)
 
for sanity, I vote back to normal.

We're not going to live in a bubble forever.
There’s bubble soccer, why not bubble golf?
 
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Yes. If they care what I think I’d prefer the ball goes in the hole so either foam of upside down cups. Raised kinda sucks.
So does upside down if done poorly
 
for sanity, I vote back to normal.

We're not going to live in a bubble forever.
This-- I'm over it.

Have played 3 times total since Covid became a thing. 2 times with styrofoam noodles, once with the raised cup. Of those two the styrofoam was much better for me.
 
On the course I play we had a pool noodle cut and wrapped around the stick. One hole the noodle was cut a little long and the ball rolled across the foam and completely out of the hole. We counted it as in if that happened. I have only played on a course with the foam noodle and the experience was not bad at all. The ball was easy to retrieve once it went in and stayed in the hole.
 
Raise the foam tube to about 3 inches above the green so that the ball caroms off it when it's good. Eliminate the cup altogether. Make it more like bumper pool!
 
This-- I'm over it.

Have played 3 times total since Covid became a thing. 2 times with styrofoam noodles, once with the raised cup. Of those two the styrofoam was much better for me.
I would probably stop golfing if raised cups were a full time thing. Hell, I don't even like putting to non-cup flags on putting greens.

As much as that sounds like a ridiculous reaction, I'm pretty strong in my thoughts on it. Without the ball descending into a cup, it's not even close to being as satisfying.
 
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Raise the foam tube to about 3 inches above the green so that the ball caroms off it when it's good. Eliminate the cup altogether. Make it more like bumper pool!
I hope you are joking that would be awful
 
A standard would be nice, but I don't think we'll see one anytime soon. Like @golfinnut said, until the reason behind the current cup choas is better controlled, why would they bother making a decision and then having to change it again, and possibly again. Plus, they're notoriously stupid and slow to decide anything, so they'll probably wait to say that bumper cups are the new standard until the day after the entire world has been vaccinated. Until then I'll just assume they're studying the problem, to determine if there actually is a problem.

I'd be fine with a shallower cup from here until the end of time if that's what will make people feel better. I don't see the need to ever have anyone jambing their hand or putter or whatever else down in there again. The number of times someone would be denied holing one from the air is negligible.
 
I've played courses with inverted cups and courses with foam pool noodles in the cups. The pool noodles are by far a better solution. It wouldn't bother me one bit if that became the standard after all this is over, but I suspect once things are back to normal we'll go back to the way it always was before.

I won't jump on the horse about getting the USGA and their bad decisions out of the game. Or maybe I just did.... :ROFLMAO:
 
I've played 2 courses so far this season. One had the cups set in the hole upside down. The ball would only go about halfway in, and the flags moved a lot in the wind, but it was basically normal putting. The other course had the cups raised out of the ground about an inch or so. This was stupid in terms of putting. You could just hammer it at the hole and it would hit and count.
 
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