Will the New Flagstick Rule Become a Fiasco?

[Club Rat]

Will the New Flagstick rule become a fiasco?

IMO, I think at some point in time most players will communicate their preferences with regular playing partners and a routine will become set.
While on the other hand, playing with others, friends, strangers, competitive rounds, it may lead to becoming a concern.

I certainly have no objection to leaving it in and pulling it out for fellow golfers, but not to the point of becoming a flagstick attendant during a round.
I had a discussion with a friend over these matters and stated "on the first tee, players should discuss there intentions to leave it or pull it"
My objection is once the stick is removed, any player who intends to putt with the stick in should do so before the flag is pulled so long as it doesn't impede others line of play.

His comment was "maybe I would like it back in"
I stated fine, but once it has been pulled then if you want it back in, you can walk up and put it back in! 

I somewhat foresee this leading to additional time spent on greens by foursomes, especially during competitive competitions which usually are slower paced rounds.
Mainly in club events, High School and possibly Collegiate level as well.

It definitely will require more communications among players to these matters.   

[mcanadiens]

9 minutes ago, Club Rat said:

I somewhat foresee this leading to additional time spent on greens by foursomes, especially during competitive competitions which usually are slower paced rounds.
Mainly in club events, High School and possibly Collegiate level as well.

That's kind of what I'm anticipating as well. I'm not worried about it at all for casual rounds, but my club events could be a different story. 

If money is on the line, I'll probably insist in putting the stick back in the hole most of the time. I know other people in my association who will take it out from the fringe.

Fiasco might be a little strong, but it does present a level of awkwardness.

 

[DrMJG]

I suspect an awkward year until people get settled and perhaps get a little more data from tournaments and associations.  I would expect, by mid May, a few may seek local rules for the situations.  I guess I am old enough to desire to have the pin out on the green. 

Edited January 16, 2019 by DrMJG

[Lihu]

I was surprised that so many people wanted to keep it in just because it’s a new rule and novel.

In the long run, it should save a little time and effort and help on those downhill putts. 😁

Edited January 16, 2019 by Lihu
Apple misspell check ...

[colin007]

I can't vote, there isn't an option in field 2 I can vote for. I want it in all the time so neither option is viable.

[Patch]

#1 Didn't vote. I don't really care, since to me it's not a big deal one way, or the other.

#2 I voted it does not matter because, again, to me it is no big deal. 

#3 I voted should not be a problem as far as I am concerned.  

Folks are going to treat this rule as they see fit. If a foursome I am in  pulls it, or leaves it,  a few times, on every hole, I am not going to let the process bother me or my score..

I don't let others' actions bother me when I am playing golf. It's just  me, my clubs, the course, and Ma Nature. When I play poorly, it's all on me. The same as when I play well. No out side excuses either way for me. . 

[mdl]

After seeing the numbers, and having some experience playing with the stick in all the time when I'm trying to speed golf, I want it in all the time.  I'm not going to be a big stickler about it though.  If I'm not first to putt and a playing partner takes it out, I won't insist on putting it back in. Maybe I'd be singing a different tune if I ever had anything more than $10 on the line.

I agree it could become a problem for pace of play.  Not sure how likely I feel that is.

[bkuehn1952]

It might be a wash.  We no longer will be tending the flag while someone putts a 45 footer. I imagine a lot of time after leaving the 45 footer a foot to the right, we will tap it in without removing the stick.  Then, if the next guy has a 35 footer and wants it out, the player that just holed it out will yank it out.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, colin007 said:

I can't vote, there isn't an option in field 2 I can vote for. I want it in all the time so neither option is viable.

Ditto. Can't vote

2 hours ago, DrMJG said:

I suspect an awkward year until people get settled and perhaps get a little more data from tournaments and associations.  I would expect, by mid May, a few may seek local rules for the situations.  I guess I am old enough to desire to have the pin out on the green. 

You can't have a Local Rule for something like this.

[DrMJG]

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

 

You can't have a Local Rule for something like this.

Thanks for clarification. 

 

[Piz]

I think that, like GPS, it will become less and less an issue over time.  

[David in FL]

Not a fiasco, but it certainly is not going to speed up play…

[MacDutch]

Sorry, can’t vote either.

[NM Golf]

Perhaps I am giving the average golfer a bit too much credit, but I would hope they would realize that leaving the pin in on longer putts would be to their benefit. So I wouldn't think pulling the pin wouldn't be necessary until all players have short putts that make the benefit of the pin negligible. So basically most if not all of the players would hit their first putts (lag) and then the pin would be removed for the shorter putts. I mean there would be no need for the pin to go in and out repeatedly.

But I probably am giving the average golfer too much credit. There is a lot of misinformation out there about the pin, and many of the guys I play with think it can hurt you to leave it in. This is the same group of guys who still believe short game and putting are the most important parts of the game.

Edited January 17, 2019 by NM Golf

[ChetlovesMer]

I've played 2 rounds with a foursome since the "new" rule. Everyone in my group just left it in all the time. 

After a few holes I didn't even think about it. I think it DID speed up play by leaving it there. Granted only 2 rounds, but there wasn't a single instance in which it looked at all like the flagstick may have hurt somebody's chances of making a putt. One guy I played with had the quote "Hey if the ball makes a noise when hitting the flagstick, that noise is produced by energy leaving the ball... which can only be a good thing." 

Technically he's correct about the energy thing, but what ever.

We did look around the course as we were playing and noticed that almost nobody we saw was taking the flag out. Granted it wasn't very windy that day, but I still don't think this is by any stretch a "fiasco". 

I'm also old enough to remember dropping over your shoulder. When that rule first changed I remember guys saying "this is like cheating, getting to drop it this way." Now, we don't even think about it. My guess is the flag stick thing will be the same in a couple of years. 

[Vinsk]

The future will have holograms for flag sticks. Fluorescent orange tube of light coming from a quarter sized flat projector at the bottom of the cup. No more flag issues. 

[AlDena]

I favor leaving it in all the time, but if someone has already pulled it and laid it down, I won't complain. I like the idea of not having to tend for others when I could be concentrating on my putt. One thing, I will be pulling the pin on short putts. I had two short putts bounce off the stick and not go in, because I thought I could just ram it home. LOL

2 hours ago, Vinsk said:

The future will have holograms for flag sticks. Fluorescent orange tube of light coming from a quarter sized flat projector at the bottom of the cup. No more flag issues. 

I think the future will have bottoms attached to the flag, like on the putting green, so you can easily get your ball out.

[iacas]

28 minutes ago, AlDena said:

I think the future will have bottoms attached to the flag, like on the putting green, so you can easily get your ball out.

I think those can cause more damage - especially on the end of a heavier, 8' long flagstick instead of those little tiny ones - than just putting the flagstick back in the hole or pulling the ball out with your fingers.