Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from herdman, who asks fellow GolfWRX members whether Augusta National may choose to implement a rule against allowing players to putt with the flagstick in the hole at this year’s Masters Tournament. A lively discussion has followed with plenty of our members making some strong cases for and against leaving the flagstick in the hole at the year’s first major.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- bkloess: “With how fast those greens roll, for sure they would want that rule lifted for the tournament. Will the PGA change it for the Masters though? I doubt it. It would set a precedent. You can’t have a series of rules changed just for the majors and not the other tournaments.”
- new2g0lf: “I was under impression local rules can be applied in the absence of USGA rules on a topic but can’t supersede existing rules. That’s why clubs and Tours can specify dress codes, restrict the use of golf carts or define their own course markings but they cannot change existing rules. In the case of the flagstick, the rule is written so that it’s the golfers decision to leave the flag in or out prior to making a stroke but permits and recognizes both methods, so I’m not sure if it’s a violation of the rules for a tournament committee to remove the option. “
- widow-maker: “What would make anyone think that Augusta National members would move away from the Rules of Golf? Their membership is a microcosm of USGA deportment. I would think that most of them are in lockstep with the changes, and some of their members were probably part of the Rules Committee that instituted the changes. By the time the Masters arrives, people won’t be talking about the rules changes much at all because everybody will be used to them.”
- J13: “Augusta will have high CT pins so players will take them out.”