Trevor,
We're using a sort of circular plastic insert. Frankly, if you don't drop it in on the last roll, it refuses to stay where it's been sent. It's probably the most frustrating aspect of the current situation. There is no hope of slotting a "Tram-Liner" as the pace will take it through the hole. Seems to force you to putt in the manner recommended by Harvey Pennick.
Saw a Golf Monthly vid with Joel Tadman at his home course (Burghley Park?) and they had a sponge/polystyrene fitting on the flagstick which seemed to allow the ball into the hole without too much impediment, while allowing the ball to be taken out safely. Wouldn't mind trying any available options at the moment.
JT

Trevor, where do you play?

I'm a member at Romford. On the Saturday before the courses closed we had the upside down cups. I didn't like them as I had a couple of putts that hit the big base of the flag and stayed out as did all 3 others in the group.

First few days back we had bits of foam insulation in the cups that let the balls fall in enough and worked well.

We now have plastic lifters that work well.

At the moment its all just friendly games and great to get back out on the course but I wouldn't want to be playing comp's with upside down cups!

Tom,

I have recently moved to Bentley Golf Club and the insert sit about 3/4 of a ball below the surface but are plastic and the balls bounce out.

The club said at the weekend they have retested the plastic lifters but they are not robust enough.

They have to find a suitable solution I missed several birdies at the weekend but I did shot 39 points including 2 blobs, so I suppose it didnt effect my game to much.

I also hit the flag on a par three but not sure if the hole would have made a difference as we were 167 yards away and couldn't tell. I still have not had a hole in one.

We have a plastic tube inserted into the hole and so far the balls have stayed in but I would think a fast putt may come out again......I’ll try one today.

Yep came out..........lol.

We’ve got a foam , sponge thing it ours , they sit about an inch from the top , so half the ball does go in

I'm not a fan but it beats not playing at all

We started with upturned cups...Although I putted reasonably well there were a couple that hit the boss at the bottom of the flag and spun out. So I became over-cautious of hitting the flag..

We've now gone to pipe lagging foam in the hole as the flags were blowing out in the wind. This has got rid of the previous issue but I still prefer the flag out especially on the short putts.

Trevor...
STOP PRESS
We have just taken delivery of a hole insert called TACIT which consists of a plastic false bottom to the hole attached to a sleeve on the flag stick. The sleeve extends above ground and has a wire attached - you raise the wire with your putter head, raising the false bottom and your ball with it... Seems to be the way forward.
JT (Hope thee images attach this time!!)

JT,

They look really good and as Tacit are a manufacturer of golf flagsticks I guess they know how to make something that works.

Enjoy!

Ant

Thanks, they had tried a couple of different ones last week and hopefully we should have them fitted soon.

I cant wait, had another couple come out at the weekend.

But I have heard the devices do make the hole slightly smaller.

We have a pull up hook system too at Tulliallan.
It costed roughly £25 per hole.
So far so good no complaints with it.
Works very well.

Do you worry about scatching your putter lifting it up?

No, I've not heard of anyone scratching their putter as yet...
The one in the photo is a Scotty belonging to our General Manager (Handicap 1) and if it were likely to scratch he'd have used another from his collection!
JT

We have upturned cups at our course but they are positioned low enough that they don’t cause a problem.

I played at one of the municipal courses recently and the cups there are a fraction higher and as others have reported I hit the metal piece at the bottom of the pins several times and the ball stayed out. It was obvious that in ordinary times the putt would have gone in so in agreement with my playing partners we counted those putts as holed. (At the end of the day it was only a friendly game with a couple of quid at stake)

If it's only a friendly game, if consensus is the putt would have dropped under normal circumstances we give it. Golf's difficult enough without adding shots needlessly for the sake of staying safe. Tour golfers won't have to be penalised this way, so why should those of us who pay for the privilege of playing?

We have a handle half way up our flags that you lift and brings the ball up out of the cup.

My mate keeps doing it with his putter shaft which is black and started to mark it school boy error

Trevor,
Played at a very quiet Formby Hall today and they have moved into metal grid-things that are about half a ball down from the top. Much grumbling in the 4-ball when the ball bounced out of the (half-)hole!
Not convinced this is the best option available.
JT

Not the biggest fan to be honest . But so glad to be back. I would rather have those cups than no golf at all lol

I played Hawkstone championship course a bit back and they had a putter lift to retrieve the ball but I think heavy handed people had got to them.

Some where smashed up and others pulled so hard they had popped out why can't people be more careful?

JT
We are still experiencing the same thing.
I don't know but it seems the holes are smaller or maybe its my putting lol

Trevor,
Probably an optical illusion... probably...
Still think the Tacit is the best option I've come across.

Had a mate who used to mutter "it's as big as a bucket" over and over as he lined up his putts. It was obviously not an overwhelming success so I never thought it was worth adopting... but don't let me stop you testing the theory.

JT

How is everybody finding putting with the flag in and has this current situation changed your view since the rule change. I for one experimented with the flag in but now having had it forced on me, I am finding it makes the hole look smaller and will definitely be removing the flag when normal times return.

Chris,

I tend to agree with you. I was a flag out on the shorter putts. I'm finding my putting from short range is suffering as I just don't trust the flagstick especially as some of ours are leaning to one side of the hole.

We need an antibacterial coating for the flagstick so we can take them out...

Ant

Ant
I am now tending to try and dribble them in because of the ‘lack of space’ and any slight bobble takes the ball off line