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Flagstick In or Out

Out, I always take it out
 
Get Out Love GIF by T-Series
 
Whatever the group wants, I have no problem with either unless it’s breezy or the flag is leaning to a side, then I want it out.
 
I like the flag out. It's like playing basketball, I'm looking at the back of the cup as my target.

If I'm playing in a group I'll defer to what the group wants. Nobody wants to do the hokey pokey where some people want it in and some people want it out.
 
Just an observation with the range of golfers I have played with but I noticed that lower cap players like to pull the flag while higher cap players like to leave it in.
 
Out - the hole looks larger
 
When the rule first changed based on what I read I thought in was the way to go. Hit a few putts early that year that I'm convinced would have dropped if the flag was out, so I stopped leaving it in as a rule. I'm not anal about it on longer putts, but find it distracting on shorter ones.
 
willplaysgolf said:
When the rule first changed based on what I read I thought in was the way to go. Hit a few putts early that year that I'm convinced would have dropped if the flag was out, so I stopped leaving it in as a rule. I'm not anal about it on longer putts, but find it distracting on shorter ones.
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I use it as a "backboard" on shorter putts. Havent had any bounce back out on me yet.
 
War Eagle said:
I use it as a "backboard" on shorter putts. Havent had any bounce back out on me yet.
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Ya makes total sense but that's what kind of messes with me. I know I can ram it off the flag stick but I don't putt as well when I'm not trying to gently roll it in.
 
Playing a casual round by myself most of the time I just leave it in. With a group I’ll defer to what everyone else wants. Personally I like it out. The hole looks bigger and I like to look at the back of the cup.
 
In for anything over 10'.
If I have a 3-6 footer for bird I am probably pulling the flag.
 
I generally go with whatever everyone else wants. If I"m playing by myself, I leave it in out of convenience more than anything.
 
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Visually the hole looks larger to me when the pin is pulled, so I will pull the pin on putts that I think I have a chance at making them.

Everything else, I leave it in.
 
The truth is most players aren't good enough for it to matter, especially on putts of 10 feet or more. If you are a better putter, statistically this is not a question that has a yay or nay answer for all circumstances. In some circumstances, it is better to have the flagstick in. In other circumstances, it is better to have it out.
 
smgoldstein said:
Just an observation with the range of golfers I have played with but I noticed that lower cap players like to pull the flag while higher cap players like to leave it in.
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My observation as well. I pull it inside of 20 feet. The faster play argument is a poor one. We play in 3:15-3:30 as a walking foursome and the other 3 in my group are over age 70. If we left it in the entire round I doubt we would save even 1 minute. Others in the group are already walking to the next tee to hit when the flag is being put back in the hole.
 
With my usual group we always leave it in. If I'm playing with anybody else, it doesn't make any difference to me and I'll go with whatever the rest of the group is doing.
 
I used to take it out all the time until the world flipped upside down and we had raised cups. My group just took to leaving it in… that is until August when I started pulling it again. I feel like I putt better sans flag.
 
Converted to in , not a issue , sometimes
You get alignment bonus with the suns shadow lol …
As for , the probability of falling in the hole…. The flag shaft doesn’t stop the ball from falling below the circumference….
Would guess it’s 50/50….

Also you don’t damage the hole by removing and replacing it … I’ve seen some incidentally / accidentally , do it .
Moreso laziness in replacing

Each of us will have differing view
 
In. I got so used to it during my solo rounds that’s now my preference. If someone pulls it in a group I’m fine. But my preference is in.
 
One day I hope the USGA reverses this rule and makes it mandatory out again. I’ve seen too many damaged cups from players destroying the edges when retrieving a holed putt along with raking the ball out with a putter/wedge.
 
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