Channel flicking (or the app-based TV equivalent) I decided to watch some golf. I’ve always enjoyed watching golf on telly. As a minimum, it is good ‘filler telly’ – you can watch it in the background while you’re doing other stuff. Then there are also times when it’s the best telly you can watch, such as when it captures the drama of the Ryder Cup or the closing hours of a major. I always think golf commentators are amongst the best sports broadcasters too.
Watching the Sentry Tournament, not only does it reinforce my desire to go to Hawaii, but it also made me think about one of those rules/etiquette issues: flag in or flag out. Covid took away the choice. The flag stayed in. Then as Covid eased, the choice returned and I have to say I quite like having the flag in.
In part my preference was borne of familiarity. Having returned to golf during Covid, I was accustomed to putting with the flag in. As such it actually became unsettling when the flag was taken out. I remember playing in a comp with a different playing partner than usual. They took the flag out and I genuinely struggled to line my put up.
Nowadays I don’t play as much golf. I’m happy to leave the flag in. It also saves a chunk of time. You wouldn’t think so but it adds up over the course of a round. Marginal gains springs to mind. Watching the tournament on telly, some playing groups are making different options. I guess with a caddy it makes it easier and the pace of play is already much slower than us lowly amateurs would go at.
I probably need to get out more: on the golf course!
Commonplace 