Tilting flags
 

While I really appreciate all of the golf courses we have to choose from here in TV, I've noticed that the flags on the greens are tilting quite a bit. We have been to two courses in the past three days and all of the flags on these courses are tilting so much that it makes it difficult to get a good read as to where the cup is. Doesn't It seem that the golf course maintenance people should be getting the sand out of the cups so that the flags are straight? Isn't that part of keeping up the courses?? It kinda seems negligent to me not to keep the flags from falling over.

Given the variation due to a tilting flag one is counting inches for exact location of the "cup".

I am in awe being one who is quite happy to know as accurately as possible where the green is.:jester:

Played Sweetgum last night and found the same issue on most holes. Still trying to figure out where the sand in the bottom of the cup came from. Not so concerned about the location of the hole, but the bigger issue is that the leaning flags ( and there was no way to get them straight ) had severely damaged the holes, which were no longer round. Seems like there should be a fix for that.

I agree that shouldn't happen. When you see something like that, contact the facility manager for the course. In the case of Sweetgum, it's the pro at Evans Prairie. They can get someone out to fix it. A damaged cup is not only a playability problem, it makes it more difficult when filling in the hole when changing its position.

If you don't know the facility manager, the starter or ambassador should.

One time at Roosevelt, the hole on #9 was right at the edge of the slope at the front of the green. It was like playing miniature golf. If you were short, the ball rolled back to your feet. If you were above hole and missed, the ball rolled all the way off the green. We called the pro at Havana and he sent someone out to move the hole.

There are several threads and posts regarding golf course maintenance and you can just add this one to all the others. Personally, my issue with a tilting flag is when you are chipping from off the green (especially downhill) and you want to leave the flag in to help with the shot.

Really, should be a fairly easy fix for the maintenance crew.

Better tilting flag sticks than tilting windmills:D

Really, should be a fairly easy fix for the maintenance crew.



Wonder how many members of the maintenance crew read the posts on TOTV?

Since I've readjusted the cups on my own here is the low down:
1)the cups are set early in the a.m. and those who do it are no longer at the course, but they can be fixed
2)the problem with sand/tilting pins is usually due to the newer greens(Sweetgum, Mangrove & Palmetto)not being compacted enough(will change over time)
3)coupled with folks slamming the pin into the cup the loose sand comes up through the center hole(it is the deepest part of the cup)
4)a fix is to put a semi-permeable disc into the bottom of the cup when the new hole is cut thus preventing the problem(the disc is bio degradable)

The cups have gotten to big to support the flags:beer3:

Not quite...
 

as the cups are aluminum. You probably mean the hole the cups are put into become elongated and they do for the same reason sand comes up the center hole. As time passes and compaction occurs the pin hole in the cup won't fill with sand and the pin will stay in the cup(fully)and this in turn will prevent the pin from flopping out of the cup and elongating the hole via the cup being moved around incrementally.

Patience folks. Be gently when replacing the pin...it doesn't take any force as it's designed to fit easily with very little play.

No I :jester: in reference they have been expanded to 6"

It is the tilting tee box markers that get to me. If you draw a line between the two markers and then draw another one perpendicular to that one (you have drawn a "t",) the second line should point at the intended target. On the execs that I play, that line often points well left or right of the green. Additionally, you are allowed to tee off two club lengths behind the markers...useful if you are between clubs...but they often put the markers so far back that two club lengths puts you off the back of the tee box.

Also the tee markers should be placed according to the pin placement so that the yardage is consistent from day to day. In other words, a back pin equals a front tee marker. Yes, I am hard core.

Gosh. I don't have too much trouble going straight...but my distance is GONE. I pray my seven iron will get me where my nine iron used to take me.