This has been a question talked about and debated for centuries on the course, in the locker room, dining room, club bars, and in numerous magazine articles.
In or out'¦in or out'¦which is the answer?
Some magazines and pros have done studies to find the answer to this in or out conundrum.
Some say in, some say out.
Let's first look at why you would want it in.
Most players agree that when they have a real difficult chip or pitch, likely a real fast downhiller, leaving the flag pin in the hole may help slow down a shot hit much too hard. Makes sense to me if I want insurance to help a poor shot. I don't know about you, but I always plan on hitting a good shot, so with that thought in mind, I always take the pin out.
My rationality, MORE ROOM FOR MY BALL TO GO IN THE HOLE!
Let's look at another reason:
Helps you see the hole.
Again, an excellent reason if you like in.
I like out, so if I am having trouble seeing the hole, I get someone to tend it, so they can jerk that sucker out of the hole, to MAKE MORE ROOM FOR MY BALL TO GO IN THE HOLE!
Many times, when I'm playing, I see a golfer leave the pin in and he hits it. The pin knocks the ball out on a real good shot with good speed at the hole.
Who hasn't heard (or said) , 'I should have taken it out.' These new pins are hot and spring the ball off. I can honestly admit that I would say some pins are hotter than others.
Unfortunately, I have never been able to identify exactly which metal or compound is the softer one, so I always take the pin out to MAKE MORE ROOM FOR MY BALL IN THE HOLE!
As long as I can remember in all my years of playing, the pins have always been made of metal.
Some made with wood still have a metal rod from around a foot above the hole to the plug that fits into the bottom of the cup to hold the pin in place.
Any way you look at it, I figure if the pin is in, there is a high probability it can knock a good shot out. In fact, I would bet that if I kept count of all the GOOD SHOTS that hit the pin and got knocked out versus knocked in, I would bet all my championship trophies that the knockouts were more than 4 to 1 for knocked in.
So, if you believe my stats and opinion, and think back on your playing experiences of the pin helping or hindering a good shot, I'll bet you will come up with a ratio close to mine.
With that said, I'll close with this thought, my 'Surgism' for the pin in/out dilemma.
Since I always plan on hitting a good shot, no matter how difficult it is, I always take the pin out, my 'Surgism” is:
IF THE PIN IS IN'¦'¦IT'S IN THE WAY!
The Surge!
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