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The conundrum of pulling the pin.

Hacker67

Hacker67

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Albatross 2024 Club
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I will never get accustomed to leaving the pin in but it seems the trend is to leave the pin in. I go out as a single frequently and the majority of the time folks don't want to pull the pin. This leads to some awkwardness and confusion as sometimes I'm the one always needing to pull the pin and others are wanting the pin back in.

Folks are just conditioned one way or the other and I get that. I'm not here to complain about that or the rule change but what is a more efficient way of dealing with wanting the pin pulled in a golf world that seems to be trending towards leaving it in. I get tired of asking people standing much closer to the pin than me to pull the pin. Sometimes I get the weirdest look like they have no idea what I'm talking about or the why do you have to be difficult look. I had one guy let out a big "sigh" when asked to pull pin. These are usually the same folks who struggle to get the ball out of the hole with the pin in. The other day I was lucky enough to play in a foursome that we were all on the same page of pulling the pin and it was a joy and I putted much better not having to deal with the whole awkwardness of the pin game.
Sure, I can just go pull the pin myself but this is adding additional time walking back and forth to pin and ball. This also starts to make me feel rushed on my putts.

Honestly, I'm looking for the best solution to deal with this in the best way possible.
 
I never pull it myself. If someone else pulls it I don’t put it back in either. I just take it as it comes.
 
I’m not sure how to deal with this situation as I tend to just go with the flow. I don’t have a preference on pulling or not. Maybe you could start your round by explaining your preference on the first tee box when you guys are doing intros? That way everyone knows what you’d like to happen once on the green.

Maybe setting those expectations upfront will lead to less sighs and/or awkward looks?
 
I would ask on the first green. “Hey, I really like putting with the flag out. Is everyone cool with us taking the flag out when we all get on the greens today? I’ll even be the flag tender the whole round.”
Personally I would appreciate the ask and say “Yeah, If you are gonna tend it all 18? I’m good with it!”
If nothing else the group you are with will know on the first hole what you prefer. This would be better than just doing it. Honestly I don’t think most care either way. They are just to lazy to take it out and put it back. Especially now that you don’t have too. 🤣
 
I just do it based on how much it bothers who I’m playing with.
 
Imo they should all just get pins with very slim bottom portion so we can end this nonsense about better/worse once and for all and then make it a 100% clear rule to never touch one ever again.

You wanna pull it? Pull it..Ill help if im near the hole and i wont make one put it back in even though i prefer it in or ill go last. i think people need to get the nonsense out of thier heads (and yes i think its nonsense) especially when i see fist time newbies who are being taught to pull.
 
I've noticed over the last year or so that I putt better, especially on short putts, if I pull the pin. Don't know why, I'm sure it's mental, but I just get a better visual picture without the pin.
 
I don’t care if it’s in or out until I get inside of about 15 feet. My normal groups leave it in until about that distance. I’ve played two rounds recently with golfers that like it in and I let them finish and then pull it for my shorter putts.

It hasn’t been a big deal where I play. The biggest problem I have with the flagstick staying in for a decent chunk of golfers is the edges of the holes now are in much worse shape than before this trend. There are a lot of golfers that don’t take enough care when removing their ball from the bottom of the cup.

I find it funny that some get annoyed with others who don’t share their same opinion about the flag stick in or out. It’s like arguing graphite vs. steel for irons or mallet vs. blade for putters. :p
 
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If a guy sighed then I am asking him to pull the pin every time. Even on chips and bunker shots. Hell he might even have to tend on a long putt. :devilish:
 
If you are the only one who wants the pin - putt out first then replace the pin for everyone else or let everyone else putt out and then you remove the pin and putt.

You really don't have to putt in order of distance ;)
 
If I’m paired with strangers and the group is a “leave it in” group, I will just leave it in and go on living my life. While I prefer it out for putts inside 10’ the truth is that I really don’t care and like the practice with the pin in and out, that way I’m used to it no matter the situation. If it’s a pin in day, there might be 2-3 putts where I want it out and I generally will handle that myself.
 
Slowmo said:
I've noticed over the last year or so that I putt better, especially on short putts, if I pull the pin. Don't know why, I'm sure it's mental, but I just get a better visual picture without the pin.
Click to expand...

The hole looks larger to me without the pin taking up some of that 4.25” space. My home course has a lot of breaking putts so I’m looking at a spot where I want my ball to enter rim of the cup/hole that is often almost 90º from where it would be for a straight putt. The pin is distracting as it brings my focus to the center of the hole rather than the edge. It causes me to underplay break on shorter putts. It’s the reason over the decades I also pull the short pin on the practice greens when I’m practicing breaking putts.
 
I don't care if it is in or out, but I will not pull it for myself. That was a different story before Covid, then I would pull it. I guess I got conditioned.
 
Another statistician weighs in. With a putt traveling a low speeds, almost no difference, at medium speeds 3.45 times more likely to go in with the flagstick pulled. I knew I was right. ;) Maybe that’s why the vast majority of PGA Tour golfers pull it when they have a decent chance of hitting the hole(short to medium putts).

news.unl.edu

Statistician runs numbers on leaving, removing flagstick during putts

Take it or leave it? Statistician and avid golfer Chris Bilder took a swing at answering a question that, as it turns out, is more than just academic.
news.unl.edu news.unl.edu
 
ULEWZ said:
I don't care if it is in or out, but I will not pull it for myself. That was a different story before Covid, then I would pull it. I guess I got conditioned.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is pretty much me.

Definitely don't care if someone else prefers it out.
 
Canadan said:
I can't think of any group I've played with this year who prefer the pin in.

Interesting how it's different for everyone.
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Same. Seems that every person I play with prefers it out, as do I. To me, the cup looks so much smaller with the pin in. It's a mental thing for me.
 
From January 2019, until 2 months ago I played almost exclusively pin in golf. This was merely for the speed of the round. I've found, recently, that my confidence is improved with the pin out - so now I ask that it be pulled for most putts.

I've never met anyone who has really cared one way or another, and if someone wants it out, they ask.
 
I don't care anymore. A lot of people are accustomed to it being out because that's the way it was for a long time. I've come around to it being in just because it's faster and there seems to be a lot of testing out there that proves both ways are better and both ways are worse lol. So who knows.
 
Scooby555 said:
If you are the only one who wants the pin - putt out first then replace the pin for everyone else or let everyone else putt out and then you remove the pin and putt.

You really don't have to putt in order of distance ;)
Click to expand...
Yeah that's kind of how we do. Most at my club take it out but we have few guys that want it in. They will usually either finish out before we pull it or if we have pulled it will wait until everyone else is in and then finish with the flag in. It's not that big of a deal doing it like that.
 
I reached the I really do not care point on this. Out, in - whatever. I play it as the rest of the group does. I can't recall the last time I asked for it to be pulled, but I have removed it myself on rare occasion. I thought I had read (either here or on the net) that it had been basically proven in nearly all cases that leaving it in is either not a detriment or a slight advantage - in nearly all cases and the test I seem to recall actually used both straight and tapered flagsticks as well as putts for several distances, speeds and direct and glancing hits.
 
I don't really care one way or another. It's just not a big deal for me.

I'm lazy, so I don't pull it. That, and I still don't like touching things, countless unknown others have touched.

Pull it, it or leave it in. Your choice.
 
I've gotten so used to it that I leave it in. Same with everyone else in the group.

If I'm invited to join your group and y'all prefer it in, that's fine. I'm happy to abide by y'all's preferences. If you're invited to us, the pin stays in unless you want to pull it for and then replace it after your putts. If you're nice about it, I'll pull it or tend it for you, if I'm closest to the hole. Your job to put it back for anyone else still putting.
 
The only time I ever really have a preference is on a long downhill putt. Any other time it really doesn’t matter. I play with one guy that who can’t stand the flag being in. If he has a long putt he’ll leave it in unless one of us pull it for him ( we never do) any other time he complains until we pull it for him or he does it himself. Funny thing the guy has holed more long putts by hitting the stick and going in than the rest of us combined. i don’t think he’s ever hit the stick and missed this year.
 
I hate the rule change and agree with the goofiness of pin in or pin out. I prefer out and it should be one or the other the whole round. Either keep the pin in the whole time or pull the pin once everyone is on the green.
 
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