[Dave Doxey]

Like putting technique in general, the value of the flagstick in or out is entirely in the golfer's head.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I thought I'd revive this fruitless discussion. We need a little more passion.


https://www.golfdigest.com/story/take-the-flagstick-out

[Garland Bayley]

I guess I'll have to take this study under consideration next time I try to putt the ball 12 feet past the hole. 

[JESII]

But Garland, that’s the point...

[Jeff Schley]

Caddies at Royal County Down don't do anything with the flagstick until you ask.  My caddie says that anything outside of 10 feet he recommends leaving it in. He was a former pro golfer and worked at some resorts afterwards in South Carolina. I took his advice as I typically need caddie advice often.)

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Caddies at Royal County Down don't do anything with the flagstick until you ask.  My caddie says that anything outside of 10 feet he recommends leaving it in. He was a former pro golfer and worked at some resorts afterwards in South Carolina. I took his advice as I typically need caddie advice often.)

We've conducted more tests (and will be releasing the results at the end of June or early July), very precise, measuring ball speed so that we can correlate that to "feet by" on any green speed, and our recommendation remains:

- For putts where you're confident you'll control the distance to within three feet past the hole or less, take the flagstick out.
- For putts where the flagstick leans so much the ball won't fit from your angle or where it's so windy the flagstick is rattling around in the hole (at ground height), take it out. These two situations are very, very rare.
- For all other putts, the flagstick will help you overall. It may happen only once or twice per season, but it may also help you three times per round, too.

[Jim Hoak]

I've read many (too many) studies of what direction you should take under the new flagstick rule.  There are obvious advantages--and disadvantages--to both options.  I don't think that you will ever be able definitively, absolutely and scientifically to prove that one option or the other gives all golfers an advantage.
In the final analysis, I think that Dave Doxey is absolutely right--whatever looks and feels best to a golfer in his own mind is the way he should go.  Perception is more important in this case than science.

[Steve Kline]

And some of it depends on the type of flag sticks you have. The ones at our club are very thick and mostly likely metal. I had two putts bounce out that would surely have gone in without the flag stick. That was the end of leaving it in for me.


And, as Jim just said, it feels right to take it out for me.


I played in my first amateur tournament in a long time this weekend. Everyone wanted the flag out almost every time. The only real exceptions were the times you probably would have had it tended in the past. Then everyone just left it in.

[mike_malone]

I have been leaving it in all the time but yesterday found a reason to take it out. From 6 feet the wind was brisk and the fluctuating shadow of the flag was distracting right on my line.

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