2004-08-05

How to Tend the Flag

Or how to *attend the flag* technically. The first thing you have to do when someone says ?can you tend that for me?? is notice where all the other player are - you don't want to be stepping on anybody's line.

Second, look where the shadow of the flag stick is. That is side you want to stand on. So the player you are tending for can see the hole without a bunch of shadows. Now you can walk to the flag.

Third, grab the flag itself and pull it down tight against the flag pole and hold on to it so it won't move in the wind.

Stand as far from the cup as possible - no one likes a bunch of fresh foot prints right near the cup. Sometimes you can predict where someone?s second putt might be so try not to leave foot prints there either.

Now stand with your feet together and your arm extended all the way out holding that flag firmly. Don?t fidget or move around or drop your putter here. Set your putter face on the ground somewhere and lean it against you with your hand holding the grip of it. Don't move once you get set because often your foot or putter head might be the target line.

I always hold the flag straight, like it normally is without anyone holding it. I notice some people and caddies on TV sometimes hold the flag where the flag is at an odd angle - leaning against the slope perhaps? They might be doing this so they are not standing near the hole. I think there are enough angles you have to worry about while putting without having to adjust for a flagstick that is not parallel with your line or anything else ? so I prefer the straight up method.

Straight up method or not, once the putt is starting out, twist the flagstick so it isn't all locked in the hole and make sure you will be able to get it out. As the ball gets closer lift the stick out of the cup but hover it over the hole so the guy that putted can still see. As the ball gets within about three feet get the flagstick the hell out of there and walk away from where ever the ball is heading. Notice how the ball breaks and the speed of the green and anything else you can to help with your own putt.

Set that flag on the ground at the edge of the green on the cart path side if possible. If you are going to drop the flag, set the metal end on the green and then drop it, but catch it with your foot and then let it fall so it doesn?t make as much noise or damage the green.

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