Hey guys and gals, my club was recently looking for a part time worker to cut pins two days a week. I thought it would be a fun job and something to do to get me out in the morning early before I go and play golf. I talked with my clubs owner and offered to do the job even for free. Well he hired me I guess you could say so now I cut pins twice a week. The guys that cut pins now at our course set them in my opinion in very easy spots and don't use the large greens to there full potential. We have some wicked slopes, false fronts, etc. Well I decided that I am going to go out and mix it up a little and give the players some new difficult spots to shoot at, certainly nothing their used to now.

So my question to you guys is, what do you like to see with pin positions? What I am trying to get at is what do you find acceptable and borderline to lets say a pin on the edge of a green, or a pin position near a slope. In my opinion I love to see courses that set their pins up two or three paces off the edges of greens, one and a half or two paces from slopes or false fronts, etc. Give me a little feedback on what you guys like to see and maybe something you have seen that you disagreed with.

Let me hear something!

Use a simple method of doing 3, 3, and 3 on each nine. Meaning, three relatively easier locations, three moderately difficult locations and three difficult locations. You should be careful not to make every pin placement a difficult one, for you'll be out of a job before you know it. The paying customer will have your neck.

In recommending placements, try to keep the cup away from the edges of the green, at least 3 or 4 paces. In reference to slopes and false fronts, make sure to never put the cup on the side of a hill where you will end up having the same putt if you miss the first one. When cutting the cup, try to give a diameter of 5 yards where the most well placed shots are rewarded. That thought process comes into play when working around the false fronts. Just remember not to be too ignorant. I cannot stress that enough.

Well, that's all I have for recommendations....be sure to message me back and let me know how it goes!

Don't be that guy who cuts a pin one pace onto the green. Every time I see one of those, I always wonder if the guy cutting them hadn't poured whiskey instead of cream in his coffee in the morning.

Keep them close to the bunkers. Tempt the player either go for it, or shoot for the middle of the green. Never put them on steep hills (I mean steep). Even read the greens before you cut, so you can see where the most undulation is.

At the same time, don't make it too hard, not everyone is a scratch golfer. So, mix it up with some hard pins, easy pins, and medium difficulty pins.

I would also say don't get any closer than 3-5 yards from the edges.

Edit: Place them in a way that brings the hazards back into play! (water, bunkers, woods, drop offs, etc)

Depends on what type of course you're at and what day you're cutting them. I used to cut pins at a public course, and on weekends, we had to make them pretty easy, for the recreational golfers, while on the weekdays we could make them a little more challenging for the league players. You need to remember, a good pin will very seldom be noticed, a bad pin will be noticed ALL THE TIME. Even if its questionable don't do it, you're not running the US open, just make the pins fair. You can challenge golfers by putting the pin in a general area, for example up on a medium length par 5, or on the side with water on a short par 3. Its all about risk reward, but the risk should never be too great. Bad pins can really ruin the fun for the golfers, especially if its a public course with people just having fun.

Well, as a golf professional who's "directed" a lot of professional events I can tell you my pin placement rules.....the hole placements should be challenging, varied, and FAIR for the length of shot anticipated.....

- ALWAYS have a 3' - 6' diameter circle around the hole that is FAIRLY level which is what the PGA Tour field staff strives ta' do........don't gimick up the pins by making a guy play 6" of break on an 18" putt.........terrible IMOP......

- Don't put a pin 2 steps from the edge.....3 to 5 is close enough........IF you do and your course has fast greens guy's will be putting off the green, etc.......

- DON'T put a pin 2 steps over a severe false front/top of a slope.......chickensh#t pin IMOP........give it at least 3 - 5 + steps so that a guy can actually with a PERFECT golf shot get the ball fairly close.......and if your greens are fast your going to have guy's putting the ball off of the green.......slows up play TREMENDOUSLY and makes for some VERY unhappy golfer's who will be CUSSING you BIG TIME.....

- Don't place a hole location on such a severe slope that well struck shot might spin back off the green.....into a hazard, etc..........ANY well struck shot DESERVES to remain within' scoring distance of the hole.....20' or in......

- Don't place a pin on a 200 yard par 3 2 steps from the edge.......or in a position that's unreachable.......short wedge shot......ok.......but use your common sense when a hole is a difficult one......don't add insult to injury by tricking up the pin placement......

Ok.....now for the do's......

- USE the "corners" if the area around the hole is fairly level....make em' think.....make em' "work" to get the ball close.......tuck em' 3 over a bunker IF it's a short hole.......but place it in a position that a player could possibly use a slope to get the ball close to the hole.......that's my absolute favorite hole locations.......tucked, but, accessable IF the player can shape the shot correctly......

- Use the old 3/3/3.......3 left/3 center/3 right........3 front/3 center/3 back......you can mix them up anyway you like.......but don't trick up an already HARD hole.......IF you do you want have your "job" for long.....

- Set up at least ONE par 3 in a position that MIGHT yield a hole in one or two.......in a position that where a PROPERLY struck shot WILL "funnel" to the hole.......these pins are a hoot IMOP.......

- And, above all, ALWAYS keep the "type" of players who play your course in mind.......IF you set it up too severely you'll piss off MOST of the players and play will SLOOOOOOW to a crawl........bad deal....

Good luck!!

It's all very well making the pin positions tough but you don't want to make it so hard that they don't enjoy it.

I would suggest trying to make the course as enjoyable as possible rather than as hard as possible. Sure, sneak the odd tough one in but keep them mostly easy.

I love pins a few paces off in from the back of greens to tempt you to go deep.

I think you get the jest of what all the previous posters are saying, Make it fair yet a challenging pin placement.

My favorite pin placements are over a sand trap or in a back corner where you have to shape your shot.

I despise placements on slopes where it is nearly impossible to keep the putt close in case you miss.

I guess all in all use common sense and good judgement and you will do ok.

Terry

To me, these comments are what you should keep in mind.

In case you want it straight from the USGA:

Rule 16


Deb.

3,3,3, as stated above. Difficult is ok as long as they are fair. There is a difference.
There are several different ability levels on the golf course. If too many are set too tough it can take forever to play.

just think of how the hole is meant to be played. for example if its the final day of a tourney and a short par 4 is on the final stretch and the tees r up and all its ok to put any easy pin to further add to the excitement

cut the closest possible to the bunker and the fringe. Given them only 6 paces of green on the right of the flag =D

Do you have colored flags? If you do, make especially sure you arrange the front/middle/back evenly.

A lot of it depends on your course, if the greens are harder or the approaches longer, be a little more generous with the hole locations, and nothing on ridges, those are always bad.

I hate playing break on a one footer, so try and avoid that if possible - lol.