How Deep in the Ground Is the Cup Supposed to Sit?

[Zeph]

I came to think of this a couple of days ago when playing at my local 6 hole course, which usually have holes that are hard to putt on.
I played another course a couple of days before that again and noticed how huge the hole looked like. The diameter is probably the same, but on the 6 hole course, the cup sits 5cm down into the ground, with nothing but earth and grass above it. This makes the hole not only look, but be smaller. The green is making the hole smaller by closing down over the cup.

On the PGA Tour I see a white line all around it all the way up to the grass level. This makes the hole a whole lot easier to putt on, especially short ones you just want to slam into the back of the cup.

Are there any guidelines or how-to's on how to put a cup in the ground? The hole is supposed to be moved two times a week, but that's not always the case.
Compared to the picture below, the cup is much further down into the ground.



Edit: I found these while searching around. Perhaps something to consider.

[fredloves2golf]

I can't give you a measurement of how deep the hole should be. I think the bottom of the cup sits 6" below ground level.

When I worked on the maintenance staff of my home course years ago, I would set the pins. There's a tool that's used that has a flange on it. You can only dig it into the ground but so far to create the new hole.

The tool pulls a plug of earth out and you put it back in the old cup hole's place... leveling and top dressing with sand and soil as necessary to get the surface level.

I've never seen those cup inserts you posted pictures of. I know for certain tournaments, I would paint the exposed dirt above the cup. I think it's only for additional visibility, though.

I would say the biggest problem at your course is that the pins are only moved twice a week. That's not often enough because you get what you've seen... grass growing over the edges, the edges caving in from lots of play, not to mention all the spike marks in that area. In the winter time, we'd change the pins 3 times during the week and both days of the weekend; In the summer time, it was daily.

[David in FL]

The answer is found in Section II of the rules.......

Hole

The "hole" must be 41/4 inches (108 mm) in diameter and at least 4 inches (101.6 mm) deep. If a lining is used, it must be sunk at least 1 inch (25.4 mm) below the putting green surface, unless the nature of the soil makes it impracticable to do so; its outer diameter must not exceed 41/4 inches (108 mm).

[Zeph]

What is "lining"? The ring thing I posted a picture of above? If so, must all parts of the cup, plastic or metal, be sunk at least 1 inch below the surface, as stated in the rules? So all the cups I see with a white area all the way up to the top is simply painted to get a better visual?

The holes should definately be changed more often, but it's a small course in a small area, currently having no head greenkeeper and using foreign workers to cut the grass and move holes around. They don't play themselves and the holes are usually not moved around enough. The greens also have very high grass, nothing compared to the larger courses in the area, so the grass grow over the cup. When they cut the greens and people walk around the hole, the ground is also pushed together and making the hole smaller.

[goblue107501]

So all the cups I see with a white area all the way up to the top is simply painted to get a better visual?

That would be correct. There is a little attachment that is put on a special spray paint can (that is one way I have seen, there may be others), it is placed over the new hole, put the spray can over the small opening, and push down. The attachment helps spread the paint to the area above the cup so it can be better seen from a distance and on TV.

[RemyM]

That would be correct. There is a little attachment that is put on a special spray paint can (that is one way I have seen, there may be others), it is placed over the new hole, put the spray can over the small opening, and push down. The attachment helps spread the paint to the area above the cup so it can be better seen from a distance and on TV.

http://www.holeinwhite.com/

[Muttface]

What is "lining"? The ring thing I posted a picture of above? If so, must all parts of the cup, plastic or metal, be sunk at least 1 inch below the surface, as stated in the rules? So all the cups I see with a white area all the way up to the top is simply painted to get a better visual?

The lining is the tall metal or plastic cup itself that is sunk into the ground to hold the flagstick. It also keeps the hole the correct diameter and prevents it from caving in. If the top edge of the cup is not kept the correct distance below ground level, balls can rebound off the edge and come back out if a putt is hit dead center. The band of turf/dirt around the top of a properly-cut cup acts like a deadening cushion.

The pro tours paint the dirt around the top edge mostly so that the cup is easier to see on television. Lots of the greenskeepers actually use a small brush to do so.

[Golfrules]

Can the cup be set to low and is it legal if say it is 6 inches deep 

[David in FL]

59 minutes ago, Golfrules said:

Can the cup be set to low and is it legal if say it is 6 inches deep 

There is no specific maximum depth in the rules.  
 

Setting it too deep does cause some real, practical problems with edge erosion and ball removal though, so superintendents take care to ensure that doesn’t happen, and the tool used to dig the hole itself is designed to limit the depth.

Edited January 6, 2020 by David in FL

[Club Rat]

Well this a Blast from the Past thread. 🙂
@David in Fla  - With courses which are Bermuda Greens, do they use a plastic retainer at the surface height to help retain the Bermuda from creeping over the edge of a cup?

I only asked because I do not play very often in these regions with Bermuda.
I recall playing in Bama and had a shot rain down on the pin. When we got to the green and looked at the edge of the hole,
the ball mark made a large divot on the edge, but there was a plastic liner around the edge which prevented damage to the hole.
It also bounced my ball about 10 ft. into the air and probably robbed me of an ACE !!!  🤬

[TapOut64]

Great info.  Played my local course here in Virginia Beach, (Heron Ridge) had a very short putt, hit it dead center and was shocked to see the ball rebound out of the hole.  I could hear it hit the plastic cup liner.  This cup was sunk around 1/4" from the surface, maximum of 1/2".  Tried the same putt on numerous other holes where the cup was sunk deeper with no problem.  Guess the greens keeper got lazy on this hole.