Should You Putt With The Flagstick In? 2019 Golf Rules

We tested out the new flagstick rule, here's what we found...

Putt With The Flagstick In? 2019 Golf Rules

We tested out the new flagstick rule, here's what we found...

Should You Putt With The Flagstick In? 2019 Golf Rules

The new golf rules come into play on 1st January 2019 and there are some huge changes.

The new rules have been designed to speed up play and make the game slightly simpler, which should perhaps entice more people to take up the game or continue playing it.

One of the most significant rules coming in is that golfers will no longer have to take out the flagstick when putting.

Previously a player would receive a two-stroke penalty for hitting it with a putt from on the green.

This means that players have the option to no longer attend the flag and instead keep it in or take it out as they choose.

So should you keep the flagstick in? Watch the video below for our verdict:

WATCH: Should You Putt With The Flagstick In? 2019 Golf Rules -

GM Editor Mike Harris and Digital Editor Neil Tappin did an unscientific test at West Hill Golf Club in Surrey, hitting putts from long and short range with the flagstick in and out.

There were some interesting points discovered:

Leaving the flagstick in can really speed up pace of play, especially in instances where in a two ball player A is in a bunker and player B is on the green and needs the flag attended. Player A has to hit their bunker shot, rake the bunker and then attend the flag for their partner according to the current rules. Whereas the new rules will really speed up play here, especially with the encouragement of 'ready golf', allowing player B to hit their putt as soon as player A hits their bunker shot. This saved around a minute which in a big field of golfers can make a huge difference.

Another example of a pace of play improvement would be on a par 3 with the flag at the back of the green where most amateur club players will come up short. Walking all the way back to the pin to attend the flag for each golfer does take unnecessary time.

Putting from close range with the flagstick in on a windy day is fairly difficult. It is quite easy for the ball to bounce off the flagstick and out during windy conditions.

On a sunny day with shadows on the green, having the flagstick in from distance really did make a difference visually which therefore aides confidence.

Does it make a difference to keep the flag in on longer putts? Our hunch was yes, it did help.

Neil didn't like the flag in on short putts whereas Mike did. It does give you something very definitive to aim at. Often our Top 25 golf coaches suggest picking a precise spot and the flagstick being in does help that - aim small, miss small!

Does the flagstick being in stop you from holing putts from close range? Only if you hit them very, very hard. We hit putts at the flagstick firmly and it didn't make much of a difference.

Will you putt with the flag in next year? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV