COVID Putting - Easier, Harder, or No Change

[Bonvivant]

9 minutes ago, Yukari said:

I've seen many putts that would have stayed in but bounced out when foam is in the cup.  They usually count those as being holed.  

However, there were some putts with a pretty good speed that bounced out, which were hard to tell if they would have horse-shoed out.  Of course the guys who hit the putt say it was holed, and those with $ riding on it say no.  

@topoftheline89 and I have kind of worked out a system for ourselves when it comes to the tweeners where it is hard to tell if it would have gone or not. After a questionable putt or chip we talk about it, and if both of us are inconclusive we consider the first one of these in a round by a player as holed. If the same player has another one of these questionable chips/putts, then it is not counted as holed. This alternates throughout the round if it continues so all odd numbered questionable ones per round are holed, and even ones are not holed. We have yet to have more than 2 questionable ones in the same round by the same person.

We don't play for money usually, just pride, but it seems to be a better system than arguing about a score on a hole because the player of the shot always wants it to count as holed, and the other doesn't. It took us a handful of rounds to get this system in place, but it works pretty well for us. Neither of us are posting HDCPs or anything so not as worried about it, but it is something to think about.

After reading your post and playing a couple of rounds recently where the ball was able to enter the hole (foam below surface), I think that I finally have an answer for the poll. If the ball can enter the hole, but just barely, I think that putting is harder and I tend to leave more short, trying to get the perfect speed so that it will rest in the cup and not bounce out because the cup is so shallow. If the liner is raised, or the ball cannot enter the hole, I think that I putt more confidently because I am not worried about landing it perfectly on top of the foam/upside down liner in the hole.

32 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

A club or a competition may define a shot that strikes a raised cup as a holed.  If so, counting putts made this way is not cheating at all, its playing by the rules in effect.  That doesn't mean the player should use the same criteria for handicap posting, they should follow the "most likely score" clarification that the USGA issued.  A putt could be holed by the first criteria, but count as "not holed" for handicap posting, and its all within the rules.

I suppose this is true. I haven't played in any competitions at all, ever, so I wasn't really thinking about this.

[Shindig]

Two rounds since the first pandemic related shutdowns.  The biggest issue for me, putting-wise, has been that I can't warm up.  I'm not a great putter (I really suck at it), but at least I can get the speed down and have manageable second putts often enough.  But that takes me about 10-15 minutes on the putting green before the round, not an option at the two courses I've played recently. 

However, I did manage a birdie in each of those rounds (my birdies-per-round average in normal times is well under one/round, even in rounds when I hit a bunch of GIRs).

[Mr Puddle]

On 5/11/2020 at 12:45 PM, Vinsk said:

Lowest speed should be considered holed no?

I forgot, it's that simple

[Vinsk]

3 hours ago, Mr Puddle said:

I forgot, it's that simple

You’re welcome. Now get back out there!

[bkuehn1952]

Had my first really questionable one yesterday during a small match (alternating partners, high/low, every 6 holes, $2.00 each).  On the 5th hole I chipped and the ball was going a pretty good pace when it clanged off the upturned liner and flagstick.  Ended up around 8 feet away.  I raised my arms in triumph knowing full well the opposing team would correctly declare that the chip would not have gone in.  When the stakes are small, it is not hard to be reasonable.

Edited May 13, 2020 by bkuehn1952

[TN94z]

I voted no change as it seems pretty obvious to me whether a putt was going to drop or not.

[RetiredOldMan]

I basically find no change in my putting. 

I liked the upside down cup the best to where the ball will go into the cup and stay but is easy to lift out. 

One course had bumpers around the flag stick. You could hit it hard and just bounce off of the bumper. 

I found this to be distracting. 

I will be glad when we go back to normal. 

I Like Normal. 🤪

Retired Old Man

[woodzie264]

On 5/8/2020 at 9:42 AM, dennyjones said:

I've played in the past few weeks with cups raised and ones with a pool noodle in the hole.   I feel that the raised cup gives a different perspective and an easier targeting area for putts.   Long putts with the raised cups just seems easier.   We've been putting with the flagstick in since the rule change so the pool noodle and flagstick in place is no different than usual.  

I have not played any “raised cup edge” courses, but would agree that it would be far easier as most of my missed putts rim out and would be counted as “holed” under those circumstances. But I have played the pool noodle courses and see no difference (which obviously makes sense as there is no modification to the cup/hole at ground level). 
 

also, just saw this nifty little device:

https://sports.yahoo.com/golfers-stumble-on-perfect-product-for-coronavirus-era-034503707.html
 

Edited May 16, 2020 by woodzie264

[StuM]

My league course had "Raised Noodles" and our rule was if it touches it is a hole out.  That clearly allowed some putts counted as in that would have lipped out.  Our thought was no controversy.  Today we played a course with a plastic "Shelf" @ 1" below the rim of the cup.  We had a few bounce off the "Shelf" that we all agreed would have been holed had that shelf not been there.  Neither seems perfect to me.

I did see a device on line, it was a small "Shelf" connected to a hook.  The hold was as deep as normal, you just use your club to lift a hook that lifted the shelf, and the ball, out of the hole.  Seemed good except I could see where the wire hook could interfere with some shots.  I'll post the link to this device.  I AM NOT recommending this, just showing the link so you guys know what I am referring to:

This touchless ball retrieval solution is a Cool Golf Thing

---

It's a rare time where you'll want to hook it.

 

 

[NM Golf]

I voted some were easier/ harder than others because my course has gone through a series of changes since we opened up two weeks ago. The first few days we had raised cups so the ball did't even go in the hole. The group I played with didn't want to mess with trying to determine whether or not a putt would have gone in, so they played it if the ball hit that raised cup it was holed. That was too easy, scores plummeted.

After about 5 days raised they decided to flip the cup over and put it at the same level as the green. This was better, but it was still difficult to come to a consensus sometimes on whether the putt would have gone in. 

Finally about a week ago they decided to keep the cup upside down, but sunk it about an inch below the level of the green. This has worked the best as it works just like a regular cup for the most part. 

[phan52]

On 5/16/2020 at 5:26 PM, StuM said:

My league course had "Raised Noodles" and our rule was if it touches it is a hole out.  That clearly allowed some putts counted as in that would have lipped out.  Our thought was no controversy.  Today we played a course with a plastic "Shelf" @ 1" below the rim of the cup.  We had a few bounce off the "Shelf" that we all agreed would have been holed had that shelf not been there.  Neither seems perfect to me.

I did see a device on line, it was a small "Shelf" connected to a hook.  The hold was as deep as normal, you just use your club to lift a hook that lifted the shelf, and the ball, out of the hole.  Seemed good except I could see where the wire hook could interfere with some shots.  I'll post the link to this device.  I AM NOT recommending this, just showing the link so you guys know what I am referring to:

This touchless ball retrieval solution is a Cool Golf Thing

---

It's a rare time where you'll want to hook it.

 

 

We have that device on every hole since we opened. It works great, although I did have one putt bounce off the attached stem. Since, I have tried to rotate it around the pin with my putter when it is in my line but it is hard. But generally I like it. 

This touchless ball retrieval solution is a Cool Golf Thing

---

It's a rare time where you'll want to hook it.

 

Edited May 22, 2020 by phan52

[SteveH]

We have been playing with the raised cups and I found putting easier most times.  I did find any putts really close to the edge would quite frequently "miss" likely due to the slightly raised turf around the protrusion.  You generally know if it would have been in or not.  Some of our games it had to stay within a putter length to be counted as "in".  We have since moved to the noodles in the hole, which I generally prefer.  It did cost me a stroke recently when I hit a nice chip off the fringe from 25' and it rolled through the cup 2' due to the hole being so shallow.  At least we are playing golf though but it definitely favours a lag putt over an aggressive one imo and for myself I find I am a lot more likely to leave it short with the noodles vs the raised cups. 

[DrvFrShow]

There has been no change in putting. Getting to the green on the other hand is another matter.

[gbogey]

I ran into a new one yesterday. Not only did this course have noodles but there was a rubber casing on the flag stick from a few inches below to a few inches above the hole. Made it very tight for the ball to go in. I hit a putt from 20 feet that hit the flag dead middle at a nice speed and the ball bounced directly backwards. The issue was this was during our tour championship. My foursome agreed that the COVID thing was what caused the putt to not go in but it wasn't clear that the rules committee would allow it to count. But in the end it counted.

[bkuehn1952]

Covid adjustments are becoming less common.  Pool noodles in about 50% of the courses I play.  The other half have nothing.

One good thing is I am now used to putting 100% of the time with the flag stick in.  Prior to COVID, I liked taking the flag out on putts less than around 15 feet.  The flag stick in the hole looked odd to me after putting for 50+ years with it out. Now the only time I think about the flag stick is if it is leaning toward me.