When did pulling the pin for putts become a rule?

[rustyredcab]

My buddy said he was watching a Golf Channel reply of the 1960 Masters. Palmer had a 25 foot putt and he left the pin in and no one was tending it. He used his dvr to re-watch and confirmed that he was on the green.

Did you used to have the option to leave the pin in when putting on the green?

My buddy is older and was a young caddy in 1960. He does not recall a time when leaving the pin in was an option.

[iacas]

Seems to be 1968:

Quote:

1956 Rule was rewritten.  Now the responsibilities and penalties fell to the player, and match and stroke play were treated the same.  Two strokes or loss of hole if the player's ball struck the flagstick or the person attending it.  No penalty for striking an unattended flagstick from any distance.

1968 penalty of loss of hole or 2 strokes for hitting an unattended flagstick with stroke from the putting green.

http://www.ruleshistory.com/green.html

[luu5]

From http://www.barryrhodes.com/2009/04/flagstick-rule-17.html

Quote:

In January 1950 this was Rule 38-3;
3. Stroke play
(i) Striking flagstick
A competitor incurs no penalty if, playing from farther than twenty yards from the hole, his ball strike the flagstick which is not held or has not been removed. If the flagstick is attended, or has been removed, at the player’s request, and his ball strike it, he shall incur the penalty of one stroke and shall play his ball as it lies.

Arnold Palmer himself writes in his book "Complete Book of Putting", 1986, following :

Quote:

Among the select company of officials who make up the two rules-of-golf committees, the regulations governing the flagstick are known as the "Canadian rules." This is because delegates from Royal Canadian Golf Association were largely instrumental in framing the legislation, a distinction some people feel to be roughly on a par with claiming credit for having invented botulism.

As you can see, Mr Palmer was not that fond of flagstick rules. He liked to be able to have flagstick left in the hole. Unfortunately Mr Palmer does not reveal anything more about the history of the rules.

[camper6]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

My buddy said he was watching a Golf Channel reply of the 1960 Masters. Palmer had a 25 foot putt and he left the pin in and no one was tending it. He used his dvr to re-watch and confirmed that he was on the green.

Did you used to have the option to leave the pin in when putting on the green?

My buddy is older and was a young caddy in 1960. He does not recall a time when leaving the pin in was an option.

I am 78 years old and can remember leaving the pin in to putt unattended.

I can't understand why people don't have the pin attended on a long putt.   They always tell me to pull the pin.

The pin in the hole is a much easier target to hit and it's the same on a pitch from off the green.  Leaving the pin in is a better option on a chip.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by camper6

I am 78 years old and can remember leaving the pin in to putt unattended.

I can't understand why people don't have the pin attended on a long putt.   They always tell me to pull the pin.

The pin in the hole is a much easier target to hit and it's the same on a pitch from off the green.  Leaving the pin in is a better option on a chip.

I also find that having the flagstick tended helps with judging distance on long putts, even if I can see the hole.