I left it in for every putt last Sat - actually 2 out the 4 of us did. The other two guys said they just couldn’t do it because it would throw them off. I found it made me focus on hitting a smaller target - the stick itself rather than the entire hole.

I have always preferred to leave the pin in when it is not bothersome to my playing partners

All depends on the situation. Long and downhill putts, yes. The way I was running my putts by the hole today it may actually stop one once in a while. Our groups in our senior M/W/F men's league all play under four hours but any improvement is a good thing.

I have been leaving the flag in for a lot of years. If I play alone (which is most of the time) it saves time instead of walking half way across the green just to set it down and then have to pick it up when done. If I am playing with a group, I will do what the group wants since we will be slower because of having more players. Fairways and greens.

Mark F

This is my second reply to this thread. Just had a thought. For all of those who, like me, have been keeping the flag in before this rule changed, I would wonder if they turned their scores in for hdcp purposes and did they count the penalties for leaving the flag in? I never counted the penalties since I never played in anything where a hdcp was an issue so no big deal.

Mark F

Well in 2018 rounds played by yourself couldn't be posted, so that's a moot point.

If your group left the pin in it would be an incorrect score. That said, you'd only be hurting yourself as the scores you posted would have been lower than your actual score. I don't think many folks are gonna give you a hard time for posting lower scores... I personally love playing against people with vanity caps.

I've been leaving the stick in for years. I feel more confident knowing I can bang the back of the stick. I'm a firm believer the stick helps, not hurts. Why else did they make you take it out before? I believe the stick in harkens back to golf of yore.

If I'm playing alone i'll leave it in. When i'm with a group i'll take it out.

I take it out on the practice green so it seems natural to leave it out during the round.

Plus I struggle to focus with the pin in while on the green, off the green I always leave it in.
But on the green I always look to and beyond the hole prior to putting, I'm a line reader not a spot putter so the pin throws me off because I can't seem to judge to actual break into the hole. Straight putts no big deal but breaking ones I need to see where it will enter the hole at the pin being in the hole skews that line of sight for me.

leave it in for longer putts and take it out for shorter putts

Leave it in for long putts, expect to remove for short putts.

Well personally for me for downhill shots I would leave it in. But in any other case I will put it out. More room to put the ball into.

Like everyone else just depends on the situation. I guess i'll have to play around with it and see how it goes, can't hurt to try. I just hope this does improve pace of play.

Probably will leave it in for the long ones, but I know I will fell awkward for the short ones if it is in

On putts that I feel I should make 75% or more of the time (I.e. 10 feet and in) I think I will take it out, but almost anything longer, I will probably leave it in.

I'll be leaving it in on longer putts.

I started leaving it in last fall when playing alone. Yes it saves at least 30 seconds a hole playing alone so about 9 minutes around. I'm not sure if there is an advantage, but here was definitely no disadvantage to doing it is what I noticed on all putts.

No

I plan to take the pin out on all putts.

Leave it in on long putts and pull it when I get close. Mainly to help judge distance on a long putt and to help speed up play.

its going to take some getting used to but i think in certain situations it should be helpful