Do You Pull the Flag?

[Zippo]

It’s been a while since the rule was changed so I was wondering how many of you still pull the flag before putting. Almost all of my putts are done with the flag in. 

And sorry about topic capitalization. 

[mohearn]

Can't be bothered. If it's already pulled, that's fine too. Don't see any advantage to pulling it.

[imsys0042]

I go along with what others do, but for me…if it’s in, I leave it in.   

[Piz]

I pull the flag when it is leaning enough to keep the ball from dropping.  That is a pretty rare occurrence but it does happen.  

[DaveP043]

I generally prefer it out when I'm close enough to "know" that my distance control will be good.  From longer distance, when there's a great chance that I'll be well long, I'll leave it in.  And most time, I don't feel strongly enough to insist, one way or the other.

[iacas]

21 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I generally prefer it out when I'm close enough to "know" that my distance control will be good.  From longer distance, when there's a great chance that I'll be well long, I'll leave it in.  And most time, I don't feel strongly enough to insist, one way or the other.

Ditto. It can only hurt you IF you KNOW your distance control will be good.

[Missouri Swede]

Usually don’t pull it. With wind over 30 mph today, pulled it a couple times when I was close enough that the oscillation of the flagstick and the sound of the flag were distracting. 

[Double Mocha Man]

I believe, three years ago, when the rule went into effect there were studies done showing there was a miniscule (very miniscule) advantage to leaving the flag in.  Personally, because it's more comfortable I've gone back to old school, even offering to tend the flag.  To laughs.  So many of the folks I play with leave it in so I waver back and forth out of convenience.  Appreciate it when I find someone who likes to pull it.

Edited February 21, 2022 by Double Mocha Man

[woodzie264]

57 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I generally prefer it out when I'm close enough to "know" that my distance control will be good.  From longer distance, when there's a great chance that I'll be well long, I'll leave it in.  And most time, I don't feel strongly enough to insist, one way or the other.

I tend to leave it in unless within 6ft…for some reason the cleaner/open hole seems to make me feel more confident over the ball…admittedly it makes no rational sense, but that’s what I like. 

[Sandy Divot]

Leave it in for long putts, take it out for shorter putts. Also, our sticks are thick and heavy, with very little taper. Most of the time they help a putt going too fast not go too far past, but I’ve seen them keep good putts from going in.

[ChetlovesMer]

I'm not sure I could possibly care less. 

The only times I've pulled it since the new rule went into affect was when somebody asked me to. ... Oh, and one time it was windy and the damned thing was literally whapping me in the face as I was trying to knock in a short one. 

Pull it, don't pull it, I don't care. I'm sure there's a statistical analysis that would tell me when to pull it and when to leave it. But I just don't care. If the people I'm playing with want it out I don't complain. If they want it in, fine with me. 

I will say that I have to chuckle every time somebody misses one that hits the hole a bit. If the flag was out "OH! Crap! I'd of made that if I would have left the flag in." ... No you wouldn't have. I'm always thinking. OR... "Damn it, If I would have pulled the flag that would have gone in." ... Once again, I'm thinking: No, no it wouldn't have. 

I've seen people bounce the ball off the side of the flagstick and it skitters 8 or 10 feet away and the dope is convinced he would have made it without the flag there. ... Uh no. 

I've also seen guys hit it over the edge of the hole at nearly 20 miles per hour and lament it would have gone in if we hadn't pulled the flag... Again, no. 

[Edsland]

It depends who I’m playing with, my son likes it out, most of my buddies don’t care except 1 that alway pulls it. When I’m by myself I usually leave it in, kind of gets confusing lol. I kind of liked it better when it was just pull it and be done. 

[boogielicious]

I don’t pull it unless my playing partners want to. 

[mcanadiens]

I hardly ever do it myself. The exceptions are when the flag is leaning in a direction I don't like. 

Out of the people I play with, we have one guy that likes the flag out on anything inside 5 feet. Nobody else bothers most of the time. 

[Double Mocha Man]

3 hours ago, Edsland said:

It depends who I’m playing with, my son likes it out, most of my buddies don’t care except 1 that alway pulls it. When I’m by myself I usually leave it in, kind of gets confusing lol. I kind of liked it better when it was just pull it and be done. 

Do you think it has sped up the game?  That was the original intention, if I'm correct.

[saevel25]

12 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Do you think it has sped up the game?  That was the original intention, if I'm correct.

I think it has to, even if minimally. It is very minimally. 

 

[pganapathy]

I prefer the flag in.  I find it saves me time, makes it easier for me to see the hole location, and unless the flag is tilted in such a way that the ball might get knocked out prefer the backstop of a flag

[darthweasel]

I have a very strong, inflexible opinion on the matter. I play a lot as a single and thus get matched up with a lot of people I don't know. So my rule is this: if people want to pull it, I pull it. If they don't, I don't. 

The one exception is this: I have met groups where they have someone who sometimes wants it pulled and sometimes doesn't...I just pull it every time. I find it jarring to sometimes have it in and sometimes out. The other exception is on 18...I still like the sound it makes and so on the last hole I want to hear it, though I will wait til everyone else has finished if we haven't been pulling it.