CCC

You did say he "chipped" from off the green. This topic is about putting from off of the green. Yes, if I was chipping from off of the green, I would leave the flag stick in, just like everyone does. Well, most of the time. Unless, I really thought that I might have a chance to ...... :)

Did Spieth chip or putt from off of the green? And did he "plumb-bob" his line? :)

Is it against the rules of golf to adjust the flag stick properly, so that it stands upright into the cup - before you make your putt, from off of the green? BTW - Caddies or anyone else who would leave the flag stick in a crooked fashion...??? They would belong in the golf category of those who do not fix their ball marks on the green. iacas, you seem to make a big deal about the crooked flag stick. Is this a problem on the Pro Tour? The Pro Golfer protocol should always be about 'Protecting The Field'.

Have you talked to Spieth or Rahm lately? I haven't. I only see the players and the shots they make that the network cares to televise. Now, the premise of this topic is not so clear to me. Rather, it should be a question of 'What percentage of time do you pull the flag stick when putting from off of the green'? Not whether you ever pull the flag stick when you are putting from off of the green, or leave it in the cup. I guess some players never pull the flag stick. Some always remove the flag stick. Spieth and Rahm might pull the flag stick (or not) - depending on how they feel about their chance of holing the shot from their lie. There is no absolute (yes/no) option to this question.

It does look like the dog is having fun, just like me on the golf course. I don't know what I'm doing, but (maybe) I'm having fun. I keep telling my self that, over and over, and over....

Well, I'm watching the WM Phoenix Open and I've seen four putts from off of the green. Spieth and Rahm both putted from off of the green on the 3rd hole. Both of them pulled the flag stick before the stroke. Saw Spieth putt from off the green again, later on. Again, the flag stick was pulled. Saw a quick blip of a guy on 16 putt from off of the green. No flag stick and he sunk it for a birdie. That's 4 for 4 - putts off of the green with the flag stick pulled. That's 100%! Go figure.

Was your friend using his putter or a wedge? I've never skulled a shot using my putter. Not yet, anyway. And I pray this will never happen. But, who knows? I would leave the flag stick in, unless I thought that I had good chance of making the shot - when using a wedge. When I'm playing for practice on the course, I don't pull the flag stick when I'm putting. And I've seen my share of putts not going into the hole, because it deflected off of the flag stick. And I don't consider that a made putt. If I'm too lazy to pull the flag when I'm putting, so be it. Putting with the flag stick in the cup - is not an advantage. It's another strange rule as far as I'm concerned. If your putting stroke is so strong that hitting the flag stick is beneficial, then you need to consult your local Pro for putting lessons. I was watching, last week, when a Pro hit a shot onto the green from over 100 yards away and the ball hit the flag stick and bounced off. The announcer said that if the flag stick had not been in the hole the ball would have gone in. I agreed. Not the first time I've seen this. Keep watching. It happens a lot. It's your call. If you think the flag stick will help your shot, when putting from off the green, then by all means - leave the flag stick in the cup.

I like the cup to be completely free of any obstruction when I'm trying to to sink the ball into the cup, even when I'm putting from off of the green. But, I totally agree - you should leave that flag pole in the cup. 87%

When my trusty putter is in my hands, I always take the flag out. I'm going to make this shot and I don't want the flag stick to get in the way. Why anyone would leave the flag stick in the hole is a mystery to me. And I'm talking about the Pros. I've seen so many putts from off the green get knocked out of the cup, because of the putt bouncing directly off of the flag stick and then bounce out of the cup. So many of these putts would have dropped in the cup. Hitting the flag stick is more of a problem, whether hitting a shot from around the green or from the fairway.

Everyone hits a Shank once in a while. Everyone...

Side - Saddle putting is the new thing at my club. I'm seeing it a lot on the practice putting greens. As far as I'm concerned, it's just another 'give up' grip.

PGA/USGA, please allow range finders on the course. There is absolutely no reason not to use a range finder. My only concern would be that - the pro's caddie will use the range finder first - and then proceed to pace off the yardage from the pages of his pocket book of the course yardages for that hole. Just to be sure that he has the correct yardage.

I bought your book, Erik, when I joined TST. :)

Yes, I'm depressed. So, I now have these to get me ready (during the 'off season') for next year. https://www.amazon.com/Putt-Bout-Putting-11-Feet-Green/dp/B00HXAJ4VQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481692684&sr=8-3&keywords=putting+mat+golf https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030F4JHM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0021H5TG0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155821738X/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Am I missing anything to get me ready for next year?

Ass? Yes. But, I like him.

Rainmaker. I hear you. Loud and clear.

Hi guys. I don't have a link. I can't find one either. I guess it was no big deal. What I saw after Adam Scott hit out of a fairway bunker was Steve Williams shouting madly (to anyone who would listen) "Who was the last player that played from this bunker?" He wanted to know who did such a bad rake job. The announcer said that Adam had a bad lie in the poorly raked bunker. Hoping that someone else saw this too. But I guess not. I'm telling you Steve was really pissed off.

Steve Williams was very mad about having Adam Scott hit from a bad lie in an "unraked" fairway bunker. I would not want to be that guy. Did Steve ever find the bunker raking slouch? I agree with Adam Scott's caddie, this should not happen. They are professionals - right?

As I've said before, Golf is not a game of instant gratification. Just listen to the professionals talk about how they struggle day to day to hit the ball to their satisfaction. Relax. Playing golf (to your satisfaction) is not a sprint - it is a very long marathon.

I hear you Piz. 'Golf In The Kingdom' is about playing Golf and exploring your inner game. You like it, or you don't. No harm, no foul. :)

What you visualize before you swing your golf club...maybe different than what I see.

Here are just a few excerpts from the book that stay with me today. “An eleven”. “Put down your score, it will do you good”. “Donna worry about the score so much, it’s not the important thing.” “Play it like it lies. It’ll come out.” "Replacing the divot is an exercise in public good." Visualizing the Ball’s Flight: How Images Become Irresistible Paths: Nothing new here, if you play the golf in a serious manner. These are just a few of the laws that lead to the path of achieving 'True Gravity'. The good thing about 'Golf In The Kingdom' is that it is a quick read. Only 202 pages. The book is more about the mind vs. body part of the game. It's not technical in any way. For me, it's more of a reference book for when I get lost.

I did not know that there was finally a movie from this book. I have heard, for many years, that one was "in the works". But, I've never heard anything about the movie. I would watch the movie - whether good or bad. It would be difficult to 'flesh out' a movie script for this book. That was always the problem.

I relate to the magic that can happen while playing golf. A hole in one? Really? Finding and being in the 'zone'. Some amazing things happen while playing golf. Shivas Irons explains why this happens. And I'm a believer. It's a book about playing golf that I think everyone should read. I'm very glad to hear that you, too have read it.

No. Never. And I'm a musician.