Gimme's - Rant

[A.Princey]

I know gimmes speed up play and are generally regarded as a gentlemanly approach to the game, but so many putts inside 4-5ft get missed, and by good golfers as well. It's my general rule that 18" is in fact the upper limit of a gimme, with 2' being the absolute max. Meanwhile, in your local night leagues, guys are raking in 6 footers in and marking legit scores. If a group isn't being rushed or slowing folks down, I feel the 18" distance is the threshold of make for anyone, almost in an eyes-closed sense. In my opinion, if you cannot hole 20 putts in a row from within a certain distance, that distance is not gimme territory. I also feel that putting more of the short ones out, under pressure, makes you a better putter. I typically find as well, that the people that argue my rule are generally the ones that cannot make much inside 5ft. Isn't the design of each golf hole to hole out, legitimately, rather than inflating your ego??? Discuss...   

[antip]

In this part of the world (Oz, NZ), there are no gimmes, ever, in normal, handicapped, club competition (match play aside). 

[I'_rather_be_golfing]

I like the no gimmes. It shows true to how good you really are on the green. And shows true to your actual score. Data from my Grint showed I averaged 30 putts last year. This year I did not a do one gimme putt. And it shows I average 34 putts. If it’s clearly a few inches away. It is a gimme, but if I was still a few inches away. I still putt it in. 

[SNIPERBBB]

Concessions are ok, gimmes are not. In other words, putt it out unless you're playing match play and your opponent concedes.

[A.Princey]

Thanks for the reassurances, some people get really ticked off by this subject. I know casual rounds are sometimes lax, but if you really want your score to mean something, putting-out from outside the "eyes-closed" range really separates the top scores in a group.

 

On the back 9 stretch, occasionally I'll find myself being slightly more lenient, if a particular golfer has demonstrated a 100% make from inside 3' up 'til then, but only after such play is certain. Every day is different, each with it's own variables. I still hold true to my own 18", unless the playing partners are incessant about picking up.

Edited September 17, 2020 by A.Princey

[SNIPERBBB]

26 minutes ago, A.Princey said:

Thanks for the reassurances, some people get really ticked off by this subject. I know casual rounds are sometimes lax, but if you really want your score to mean something, putting-out from outside the "eyes-closed" range really separates the top scores in a group.

 

On the back 9 stretch, occasionally I'll find myself being slightly more lenient, if a particular golfer has demonstrated a 100% make from inside 3' up 'til then, but only after such play is certain. Every day is different, each with it's own variables. I still hold true to my own 18", unless the playing partners are incessant about picking up.

 Just remember this and it will help you get through it and be able to sleep easy...when they ever have to play a competition where the absolutely have to hole out, you will have the advantage. Just pray they arent your partner in a team event though. 

[Mcgeeno]

I'll putt out all my putts unless its literally a foot or less. 

 

That being said, the gimme posts that pop up in here a few times a year never do anything for me.

 

Unless its for money or a tournament or something is on the line, I don't give a hoot what any random does when I'm playing. Want to scrape back a 6 footer and call it good? Be my guest. When the chips are down I know you have no shot at making it anyways.

[A.Princey]

Randoms, who cares, but I was talking about regulars, the people you know, especially with a wager on the line. I'll putt out all day.

[kmay__]

When I play with more casual players they will always tell you to pick it up and while sure I can appreciate the gesture, if its longer than 2 feet I'm gonna hit the putt anyways because I feel like knocking those in helps me with my putting confidence. And I've been known to occasionally miss those and need the practice haha.

 

Me and my main playing partner are pretty strict, because we are trying to improve and want scores to actually represent our skill level.  

[denkea]

Years ago while living in NW Ohio I played with a couple friends.  One a scratch handicap and one a five and me a five.  We mandated 'putt everything out'.  Inevitably one would miss an 18" putt every round.  

It got to the point where the scratch would say to one of us after we putted "Mark it? Or miss it now."  ;-)

[Warrior42111]

It's situational with my group, we play small dollar/ beer games, so I'll occasionally concede a 2-4 footer maybe even a longer one to keep the opponent cold on those knee knockers for later in the round.

[chippa13]

I think I've told this one before but one time I was with a group and we played a two-ball match. One of the opponents kept conceding my putts up to about 5-ish feet all day. Finally, on the 18th I'm about 5 feet from the hole and he asks me, "You ever miss a putt that long?". I responded, "Not today" and he swept the ball over to me. Best "putting" day of my life.

[DivinDave]

I prefer to putt it out but very often play with the "gimmie" guys.  I dont mind too much as long as its a legit gimmie if such thing exists and we aren't playing for money.  Inside the leather on a normal length putter is gimmie range.  However there are some times where a 18 inch put might be treacherous, and during those occasions I dont like gimmies at all since that putt can easily missed by most anyone.. 

 

What burns me up is for someone to clearly be outside of gimme range and ASK if thats good.  The bums.

 

I will admit though a while back, I did give a guy a 20 foot putt because he was already lying 9 and I couldn't take anymore.
 

[oikos1]

On 9/17/2020 at 2:41 AM, A.Princey said:

Randoms, who cares, but I was talking about regulars, the people you know, especially with a wager on the line. I'll putt out all day.

You should putt out all day...unless your opponent "gives" you the putt.  Which, if you are playing stroke play isn't possible so it would only be allowable under match play. 

 

First time you putt out a putt I concede in match play, I'll never give you another one.  Ever.

[ScottF]

There are an awful lot of people who play golf just for the fun of it. They don’t carry a handicap, they don’t enter tournaments and are very happy to accept when a playing partner says “pick it up”.  They might even take a mulligan now and again and don’t give a rats a** what they shoot or if they are going to burn in hell for breaking the almighty RULES OF GOLF!  I’m glad nobody I play with takes the game so seriously. 

 

[sui generis]

1 minute ago, ScottF said:

There are an awful lot of people who play golf just for the fun of it. They don’t carry a handicap, they don’t enter tournaments and are very happy to accept when a playing partner says “pick it up”.  They might even take a mulligan now and again and don’t give a rats a** what they shoot or if they are going to burn in hell for breaking the almighty RULES OF GOLF!  I’m glad nobody I play with takes the game so seriously. 

 

 

That's your prerogative, however you're posting in the wrong folder. Go to General Golf Talk to find new friends.

[2bGood]

My world seems pretty simple - in match play my competitor decides what is conceded or not. In stroke play you hole out. Most of my "casual play" is match play. Most of my tournament play is stroke play. 

 

The only exception to this is I have played in some men's leagues events and pro-ams where they have 2'6" circle around the holes where everything is good. At first I thought it was to speed up play, but it turned out the primary reason was to make sure no one was too generous with given putts , even though there is supposed to be no given putts. ? 

[Hook'n'Loop]

Gimmies are dumb.

It leads to cheating, bad sportsmanship and arguments that have no place in competitive sport.  

[Par6Golf]

As we saw this weekend a 4ft putt can break your wrist.

[david.c.w]

On 9/18/2020 at 7:34 PM, oikos1 said:

You should putt out all day...unless your opponent "gives" you the putt.  Which, if you are playing stroke play isn't possible so it would only be allowable under match play. 

 

First time you putt out a putt I concede in match play, I'll never give you another one.  Ever.

 

But you are specifically allowed to putt out a conceded putt, unless it helps your partner.  This is literally a rule.

[davep043]

On 9/18/2020 at 7:34 PM, oikos1 said:

First time you putt out a putt I concede in match play, I'll never give you another one.  Ever.

 

4 hours ago, david.c.w said:

But you are specifically allowed to putt out a conceded putt, unless it helps your partner.  This is literally a rule.

I'm with @david.c.won this, I'll feel free to practice a putt after play is complete on a hole, its absolutely within the rules and etiquette of the game.  If someone chooses not to concede any more putts, I can live with that.

[MtlJeff]

Someone who takes a lot of gimmes is only hurting himself in competition. So why does it bother people so much? It's basically making someone less of a threat to you if you ever play for money. 

 

It seems to offend people that someone's index is 8.3 instead of 9.4 because they take gimmes, i don't really get it. Just take the extra shot from him and it's like having a free beer after every round whenever you play a match. 

 

Gimmes don't bother me at all. I take them sometimes especially when all the tournaments are done for the year. Ironically i tend to putt better in tournament rounds than in casual ones. 

[oikos1]

5 hours ago, david.c.w said:

 

But you are specifically allowed to putt out a conceded putt, unless it helps your partner.  This is literally a rule.

I know.  So if you're going to putt it out anyway, no need for me to give it anymore.  It's a bad look to putt out a gimme.

 

Now, if you pick it up and then drop it to practice before moving on to the next tee, that's different. 

[davep043]

15 minutes ago, oikos1 said:

I know.  So if you're going to putt it out anyway, no need for me to give it anymore.  It's a bad look to putt out a gimme.

 

Now, if you pick it up and then drop it to practice before moving on to the next tee, that's different. 

Now I understand the distinction you make, and while I wouldn't go that far myself, I do agree.  Don't practice while the play of the hole is still going on, even if your play on the hole is complete. 

[Hawkeye77]

On 9/16/2020 at 6:52 PM, A.Princey said:

It's my general rule that 18" is in fact the upper limit of a gimme, with 2' being the absolute max

 

As long as it's a firm standard!

[Divot License]

I find with friends in money games the number of gimmes diminishes the further the round goes.  

[cardoustie]

You can see who takes gimmies when club C rolls around
 

the egregious issues are men’s nights ... where the same guy who is 10 above his cap in the club C as a 12 cap shooting 92 ... but amazingly shoots 76 with his pals on Thurs to win some pro shop certs

[llewol007]

We do gimmes a lot when we play and it is just to speed up play since most course dont want you touching the flag stick or anything close to the hole. For me though, it has gotten absurd when guys are looking around hoping to get a gimme putt that is two foot or out. Most of the time, the only time I give a putt is if it is a standard grip away from the hole. Maybe 18" max. Non of this inside the leather business either since some of these guys play long putters and think they are too smart. I remember when we played a tournament with a casual group and of course you had to putt everything out. A friend of ours who was so use to gimmes was so frustrated all day because he was missing 2 footers. It was hilarious to say the lease but does give credence to the importance of being able to make those putts any and all times. 

[chippa13]

Either people don't honestly know what 2 feet is or there are some ridiculous people out there.

[rexroh]

I play golf.  If you take gimmies you are not playing golf.    Most of my golf is competition of some sort - generally stableford.  One of  the days I play with a couple of players who have not entered the daily competition.  I do concede their putts when it does not matter or it is so close to not matter.  
At one stage we were conceding 2 foot putts but this grew to 3-4 feet and even longer. Our greens are tricky and a 2 foot putt can be easily missed.  I will still putt from 1 inch. I play golf by the rules and not by the ones that suit me.  If our play is getting slow two who have finished the hole will go and tee off. This helps catch up.