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To remove the stick or not to remove the stick...that is the question?

• Funkyjunkie3000 722 Posts

  Sun, Dec 23 2012 2:29 AM

  I pull the pin if im trying to hop and drop but leave in when rolling at pin, i also take pin out for wedges if water is in play, i learn this from ccc #6 hit pin for DE and bounced into water then from the 40 yard drop i hit pin again and back into water lol

• snowgoats 61 Posts

  Tue, Dec 25 2012 7:13 PM

  For all green side shots, pulling the pin is part of my pre-shot routine. The only exception is when I know the ball is going to race past the hole, then I'll leave it in to act as a backstop.

  For full and punched wedges, I only pull the pin if I'm actively trying to hole out, otherwise the flag is a reference point.

  As for pulling the flag in real life, I think the flag is more important as a reference point for location and wind than as an impediment to an eagle.

   

• Richard4168 4,309 Posts

  Tue, Dec 25 2012 7:22 PM

  Technically by the rules of golf, one can't pull the pin unless you're on the fringe or the putting surface, but this is 'virtual' golf, and I digress.

  For me, I've missed two Aces by not pulling the pin on a par three tee-shots, but I still leave the pin in on 99% of par three tee-shots.

  It could be six of one, and half a dozen of the other. : )

• Doublemochaman 2,009 Posts

  Tue, Dec 25 2012 7:56 PM

  Go Cardinals!  

  Richard, I had to check this one.  Rules of Golf, USGA, 2012-2015, Rule 17-1:  Before making a stroke from anywhere on the course, the player may have the flagstick attended, removed or held up to indicate the position of the hole.

  Which means on the 3rd hole at the Golf Club of Florissant , in the outskirts of St. Louis, the uphill par 5 I could have my caddy hold the flagstick in the air above the hole if I could not see its precise location for my wedge shot into the green.  And then I could ask him to remove it even though I was 97 yards out from the pin.

  You might have an older rules book.

• Richard4168 4,309 Posts

  Tue, Dec 25 2012 8:46 PM

  Looks like you got me on that one James. Good one. : )

• BolloxInBruges 1,389 Posts

  Tue, Dec 25 2012 9:42 PM

  Doublemochaman:

  Nope... you may remove the pin anytime you want.  Though I've never seen anyone hike 150 yards down the fairway to remove the pin for their shot.

  Mickelson had Bones pull the pin from about 100 yards on the 72nd hole at torrey a few years back.  He actually did come pretty close to holing it using that backstop behind the traditional sunday pin.

  edit- Found the vid, it was 72 yards out. 

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Tue, Dec 25 2012 10:06 PM

  BolloxInBruges:

  Mickelson had Bones pull the pin

   

  Phil did that after perusing the WGT forums and seeing balls carom into the water;)

• Choppography 2,166 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 7:19 AM

  Two quick searches.. 

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

  http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/184941-rule-question-when-to-pull-the-flagstick/

   

  Sorry, but you can pull the flag anywhere at any time.  And, you are required to pull it while on the putting surface/green.

  And, yes, GO CARDINALS......as that trumps all.

   

  Here's the real question.  If you hit the stick while on the putting surface, you incur a penalty.  I assume the rule was made so you don't just lay the pin down at an angle and putt into it allowing it to 'funnel' the ball to the hole.  However, if there is no penalty for hitting the stick while NOT on the green, can I have my attendee lay the stick at said angle while I am playing my approach from OFF the green?

• forcefan 279 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 9:46 AM

  I experienced a WTF incident while competing in a CC tourney yesterday that left me mouth agape (and a smidge ticked). I was on a bit of a roll. Had a perfect yardage for a punch with my PW. The yardage allowed for a bit of roll out. It was one of those shots ya just can't wait to hit. Wind was 2 mph, no factor.

  I dinged the shot. I watched the ball hit a couple yards shy of the pin, right at it. Immediately knew I had a definite birdie, with strong eagle-from-the-fairway potential.

  Next thing I see, the ball reverses direction, fast heading off the green directly from whence it came. I was too bewildered to check mark the replay box, unfortunately. 

  Off the green 35'. I'm still puzzled by the event. How can a softly rolling ball headed for the cup bound away at light-speed like that (Speed boost was turned off or I might have had a coronary)?

  Bottom line: I'm going to do my best to work pulling the pin on all shots into a green into my pre-shot routine.

  (I didn't post this for anyone's edification. I'm still having all my posts moderated and my understanding is once one reaches a certain number of posts the 'flag' gets pulled, pun intended.)

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 10:48 AM

  Choppography:

  can I have my attendee lay the stick at said angle while I am playing my approach from OFF the green?

   

    I *think* that when a flag is pulled, it must be attended to.

   

  Will look thru my little book later and try to find out for sure.

   

  EDIT:

   

  Here, the internet is faster than me:)

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

   

  As you you'll read, even a flag stick "on the ground" is deemed attended by the nearest person...also it's noted through out hitting incurs a penalty.