Leaving the pin in fundamentally changes the game!

[manku]

I've only played a couple of rounds this year, but this new rule allowing the pin to remain while putting has altered the game, IMHO, and made it easier.

 

1. It's a visual aid. No different than using alignment sticks on the tee.

 

2. A few times, the pin has stopped an aggressive putt leaving a tap in instead of a 4-12 footer. Don't think it's kicked any putts out.

 

Granted, it's a really tiny sample size, but it will be interesting to see how this change plays out.

 

 

[cardoustie]

I've played with the pin in on my home course on weeknights for years. Sacrilege i know

 

Nothing to see folks

 

It may help a little but it should speed things up and that's a good thing

 

And I'm also guessing the pin gets splatted a whole lot less on greens as well, plus less chances of tearing up cup edges

[mikpga]

...there is nothing new under the sun...

[Joker91]

Ok

[nyrican52884]

I played this weekend and left the pin in and was amazed how my putts were going in. The pin definitely reveals where the break is close to the cup. I thought it was a distraction but turned out to be a visual aid.

[wfrogge1]

I've only played a couple of rounds this year, but this new rule allowing the pin to remain while putting has altered the game, IMHO, and made it easier.

 

1. It's a visual aid. No different than using alignment sticks on the tee.

 

2. A few times, the pin has stopped an aggressive putt leaving a tap in instead of a 4-12 footer. Don't think it's kicked any putts out.

 

Granted, it's a really tiny sample size, but it will be interesting to see how this change plays out.

 

If you hit the center of the pin yes. If you do not hit the exact center of the pin it will not go in

[sailfishchris]

In the few rounds I've played this winter, at home, some pins were actually frozen in the cup. I will admit as a visual aid- I did like the pin in on putts over 20 or so feet.

[xxio]

So did the use of pegs instead of sand as tees.

[cxx]

I've only played a couple of rounds this year, but this new rule allowing the pin to remain while putting has altered the game, IMHO, and made it easier.

 

1. It's a visual aid. No different than using alignment sticks on the tee.

 

2. A few times, the pin has stopped an aggressive putt leaving a tap in instead of a 4-12 footer. Don't think it's kicked any putts out.

 

Granted, it's a really tiny sample size, but it will be interesting to see how this change plays out.

 

You are allowed to take the pin out if you prefer.

[Socrates]

For the average recreational golfer, it is not going to make much of a difference. For the professionals, I think it has changed the game in a way the Ruling Bodies really didn't think through. Pros are quickly learning that they can take out the break out and ram it into the pin. Especially from the mid range putts where there make % is typically less. I think by the time the Masters is over, this will be a serious topic.

[straightshot7]

I've played with the pin in on my home course on weeknights for years. Sacrilege i know

 

Nothing to see folks

 

It may help a little but it should speed things up and that's a good thing

 

And I'm also guessing the pin gets splatted a whole lot less on greens as well, plus less chances of tearing up cup edges

 

It's only going to speed things up if everyone agrees to leave the flagstick in or take it out. Otherwise it's a royal pain.

 

If this new rule is deemed a success, they might introduce the idea of making it a rule that the flag must always be left in.

 

I personally think they threw the baby out with the bath water. A downhill 6 footer at Augusta is not as beautiful or pure with the flagstick in as a potential backstop.

[jamie]

I have to say the pin has knocked a couple outs out...on breaking puts I hit the low side of the flag and I know they would’ve gone in without it. I usually have the flag in outside 15 ft. I tend to hit putts too hard with the pin in while inside 15ft.

[Dave230]

Definitely helps with longer putts as a visual aid, even medium range putts. The "makeable" putts in the 10 foot in range not sure it makes any real difference.

[golfer929]

I don’t think it makes a difference either way. If you hit the center of the pin and it pops out, it also would have if it hit the back of the cup. Only thing that could closely resemble at a advantage is the visual aid. At the end of the day, this game changes over time, I don’t want to hear about “Back in the day” and “The true way to play”, because your grandfathers grandfather was saying the same thing!

[eric13]

From a visual perspective tending the pin and the current rule are the same. Deflection vs making is the real difference and I’m not going there.

[Frankensteins Monster]

No it doesn’t.

[ZipinZ]

I'm hiding from winter in Palm Springs, I would agree with the majority of the posts, the one thing no one mentioned is .... in the late afternoon when the sun is going down & there's a bit of a breeze, everyone here removes the pin as the shadow of the stick moving & flag flappin is a distraction.

 

Otherwise it sure keeps the pace of play moving here in the desert.

 

D.

[Loki]

When I play as a single, I NEVER pull the pin. In fact, sometimes on a one footer, I will hit the ball so hard that it will bounce off the pin so I dont have to bend down and get it out of the hole.

 

Guess what? I posted every single one of these rounds...including the ones where they explicitly said these rounds are unpostable. No USGA, I am not cheating anyone, but possibly myself. I'm okay with that.

[Chrismydawg]

I've only played a couple of rounds this year, but this new rule allowing the pin to remain while putting has altered the game, IMHO, and made it easier.

 

1. It's a visual aid. No different than using alignment sticks on the tee.

 

2. A few times, the pin has stopped an aggressive putt leaving a tap in instead of a 4-12 footer. Don't think it's kicked any putts out.

 

Granted, it's a really tiny sample size, but it will be interesting to see how this change plays out.

 

I haven’t seen much of an advantage except for one thing.

 

On a straight putt where the pin casts a shadow you can just put down the shadow line and nail it every time. I’ve seen some 8-10 footers be tap ins.

 

Putting doesn’t seem much easier to me since the rule change for me besides that.

[Maximilian]

And I'm also guessing the pin gets splatted a whole lot less on greens as well, plus less chances of tearing up cup edges

One thing I’m a bit worried about, is I see people shoving their hands in the hole with the pin in to pickup their balls. Feels like people are softening the edges of the hole.

[ORT]

I've always played evening rounds after work leaving pins in (anything to save a few minutes to get in before dark). Always had better putting success with it in, now I can do it all the time.

[Bush Pilot]

1. It's a visual aid. No different than using alignment sticks on the tee.

 

I'd like to see someone put an alignment stick vertically in front on the tee box as a visual aid. I guess you'd have to, to have it no different, right? lol

[Vindog]

1. It's a visual aid. No different than using alignment sticks on the tee.

 

I'd like to see someone put an alignment stick vertically in front on the tee box as a visual aid. I guess you'd have to, to have it no different, right? lol

 

Also, are there already alignment stick on the tee? I never see any, but if there were and they happen to be in line with where you are aiming, then you could absolutely use them as a visual aid, just like anything else that is on the course.

 

 

So I guess it is different after all.

[Loki]

And I'm also guessing the pin gets splatted a whole lot less on greens as well, plus less chances of tearing up cup edges

One thing I’m a bit worried about, is I see people shoving their hands in the hole with the pin in to pickup their balls. Feels like people are softening the edges of the hole.

 

Has got to be better than the idiots sticking their putter heads in the hole to flip the ball out. Damages the side everytime.

[ORT]

Has got to be better than the idiots sticking their putter heads in the hole to flip the ball out. Damages the side everytime.

 

Agreed. That is one of my least favorite things that other players do.

[nichho]

1. It's a visual aid. No different than using alignment sticks on the tee.

 

I'd like to see someone put an alignment stick vertically in front on the tee box as a visual aid. I guess you'd have to, to have it no different, right? lol

 

Also, are there already alignment stick on the tee? I never see any, but if there were and they happen to be in line with where you are aiming, then you could absolutely use them as a visual aid, just like anything else that is on the course.

 

 

So I guess it is different after all.

 

Also, in the past if I wanted a visual aid on the putting green I would just ask a playing partner to attended the flag for me, it had pretty much the same effect, upright and in the hole.

[huskerpower_105]

I've only played a couple of rounds this year, but this new rule allowing the pin to remain while putting has altered the game, IMHO, and made it easier.

 

1. It's a visual aid. No different than using alignment sticks on the tee.

 

2. A few times, the pin has stopped an aggressive putt leaving a tap in instead of a 4-12 footer. Don't think it's kicked any putts out.

 

Granted, it's a really tiny sample size, but it will be interesting to see how this change plays out.

 

Just playing devils advocate here and not picking a fight but:

1. If it is a visual aid then we should eliminate trees or any other landmark type objects around golf courses that can be used to line up in reference to

2. If that is the case pins should not be allowed in general. If I hit the pin from 150 yds it’s okay but not from 20 ft?

 

I like the simplification but think the weekend warriors that take their games way to seriously will have groups who both want it in and out, similar to AS and Holmes at Riv, and slow down pace of play more than what this change had intended.

[Tyeetime]

Will it speed up the game though? What if half the foursome use the pin and the others want it out? I think it might slow things down unless everyone is using it.

[oikos1]

Even if it's one putt during one round, if a golfer leaves the flag in thinking they have a better chance of making the putt or leaving it closer to the hole, then the ability to improve one's score has changed and golf has changed fundamentally.

 

We know it's not just one putt during one round and since you can't quantify confidence it will never be measured, but it doesn't matter because leaving the flag in now gives the golfer the option of an advantage they did not have before and yes, that fundamentally changes the game.

[GoGoErky]

It could have been used as s visual aid when someone asked to have the flag tended. Now we don’t gave to ask for it to be tended or have a penalty assessed if the person tending forgot to remove it