Chamblee: Every player should leave flagstick in

[nsxguy]

it may be different here in the UK but the general view seems to be that if u would have had the pin attended then we can just leave it in, same for the times when its 50/50 between leaving it in and having it out, now its mostly just left in. but from what I've seen most people still pull it out same as they would have done before.

 

I've played 5 or 6 rounds under the new flagstick rule and people are slow to change. They pretty much do what they're used to doing and "automatically" pull the flag.

 

If the flag's in at the time I'm leaving it in pretty much all the time except when it's leaning towards me. But on shorter putts, if the flag's already been taken out for someone else's putt, I'll often just leave it out to save a little time unless it's a slick downhill breaker - then I'll have it put back in.

 

As an aside, as we well know, people can be pretty impressionable and I think a lot of higher handicappers may follow the lead of the lower handicapper(s). If the lower guys leave it in, I believe in a lot of cases, the higher guys are more likely to leave it in. They may even feel "silly" asking for it to be taken out when a better player just leaves it in.

 

And certainly, if the guy who is putting first (furthest away) is ready to go and the flag's still in, even if he's a "Please take it out" guy he'll more than likely putt before someone asks if he wants it out.

 

Once he starts doing that he's likely to leave it in for closer distances.

 

In the groups I play nowadays in I'm often the low 'capper and this is what I've been seeing so far. :dntknw:

[larrybud]

Here's what I don't get, and I think the answer is "pga tour players are more superstitious than logical".

 

Why would guys putt with the pin in when on the green, when most of them last year would putt with the pin OUT when on the fringe or just off the green?

[davep043]

Here's what I don't get, and I think the answer is "pga tour players are more superstitious than logical".

 

Why would guys putt with the pin in when on the green, when most of them last year would putt with the pin OUT when on the fringe or just off the green?

They do it because they were taught to do it that way, because Jack or Gary or Arnold did it that way, or maybe Greg or Fred. Maybe its superstition, maybe its simply resistance to change.

[larrybud]

But an advantage is an advantage. NOW they finally think it's an advantage? Makes no sense.

 

I think what we'll see is that about 3 months in, Mark Broadie will be release a Strokes Gained stat for pin in and pin out, and pros will go by that.