Gimmies

DJ Mico · September 17, 2020

While there is not an official rule in the game of golf for gimmies, when I golf with my buddies, we try to keep an accurate score by not taking mulligans or re-hitting a shot if we shank an approach shot. But we give each other gimmies within the leather for doubles or worse. Otherwise, we putt out bogeys, pars, and birdies.

What would be your "ruling" of the following situation that happened the last time out with my playing partners:

Player A got on the green at was putting for bogey. He rolled his putt to within 3 feet, so the rest of the group said "we'll give you that for 6."

Player A responds, "Okay, but I still want to tap it in for practice." Player A missed his tap in, then tapped in on the next shot.

Player B who had the scorecard put Player A down for a 7.

Player A asked "Why a 7? You guys said you were giving me that for a 6."

Player B argued "We were giving you a 6, but you turned it down by deciding to putt, you missed, then you made your 7."

We are not too worried handicaps, and our scores are really nothing more than for bragging rights at the end of the round, but I just wanted to see how others felt about this situation. I tend to agree with Player A that the rest of our group already gave him a 6, so if he wants to putt out for practice that's fine, but it was already agreed he had a 6.

silver & black · September 17, 2020

My group usually gives putts shorter than two ft. It speeds up play and 9 times out of ten no one is missing a very short putt. If we are playing for a little $$$.... no gimmies...lol.

THEZIPR23 · September 17, 2020

Once a putt is given it is done. Anything that happens after that is irrelevant.

dlow206 · September 17, 2020

I feel like I just read this exact same thread on WRX like 20 minutes ago.

Nateyeight · September 17, 2020

I would have just given him a 6. It was given by the group, and he may not have been concentrating when practicing the putt knowing he had it already.

Chip Strokes · September 17, 2020

22 minutes ago, THEZIPR23 said:

Once a putt is given it is done. Anything that happens after that is irrelevant.

this.

tony@CIC · September 17, 2020

Our gimmes are within the "leathers" except for pars or birdies. Some of the guys taking the gimme announce that they want to practice the putt. Regardless of whether the putt is made, the gimme stands.

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DJ Mico · September 17, 2020

1 hour ago, dlow206 said:

I feel like I just read this exact same thread on WRX like 20 minutes ago.

You're not wrong. I posted there last night. I just wanted to get opinions from those that may only be in one of the forums.

Buffly · September 17, 2020

1 hour ago, DJ Mico said:

While there is not an official rule in the game of golf for gimmies, when I golf with my buddies, we try to keep an accurate score by not taking mulligans or re-hitting a shot if we shank an approach shot. But we give each other gimmies within the leather for doubles or worse. Otherwise, we putt out bogeys, pars, and birdies.

What would be your "ruling" of the following situation that happened the last time out with my playing partners:

Player A got on the green at was putting for bogey. He rolled his putt to within 3 feet, so the rest of the group said "we'll give you that for 6."

Player A responds, "Okay, but I still want to tap it in for practice." Player A missed his tap in, then tapped in on the next shot.

Player B who had the scorecard put Player A down for a 7.

Player A asked "Why a 7? You guys said you were giving me that for a 6."

Player B argued "We were giving you a 6, but you turned it down by deciding to putt, you missed, then you made your 7."

We are not too worried handicaps, and our scores are really nothing more than for bragging rights at the end of the round, but I just wanted to see how others felt about this situation. I tend to agree with Player A that the rest of our group already gave him a 6, so if he wants to putt out for practice that's fine, but it was already agreed he had a 6.

1 hour ago, THEZIPR23 said:

Once a putt is given it is done. Anything that happens after that is irrelevant.

38 minutes ago, Chip Strokes said:

this.

30 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

Our gimmes are within the "leathers" except for pars or birdies. Some of the guys taking the gimme announce that they want to practice the putt. Regardless of whether the putt is made, the gimme stands.

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I record actual strokes so, if someone declines a gimmie then misses I record it as such.

The point of gimmies is to speed up play in confidence the putt would be made. If a fool wants to chance it then it is their choice.

In the original example above, I would remind the player, "if you miss then it is recorded as a miss" to make the player think about it.

If they really insist on practicing then they should pick-up the ball and put it somewhere else on the green to make it overwhelmingly obvious that it is a practice putt. For instance, go back to where they hit the first putt from or, move the ball back an extra foot or two.

It might not be popular but that's how I approach it.

Alternately, I have a friend who will attempt tap in gimmies with one hand instead of his normal two handed grip. He never penalizes himself if he missed it because he wasn't taking it seriously with a one handed putt. I see his point of view and don't penalize him either on gimmies - we only play friendly golf without any competition so, it never matters anyway.

I don't give gimmies on Birdies or pars unless they are less than a foot.

About two feet for bogey, 3 feet for double, and no matter what for a 3 putt. If someone is on the green an missed the first two putts then I say it's good for a 3 putt even if it's still 6 feet away (assuming it's for bogey or worse). I don't want to see any 4 or more putts or see someone get embarrassed over a friendly round.

DJ Mico · September 17, 2020

2 minutes ago, Buffly said:

If they really insist on practicing then they should pick-up the ball and put it somewhere else on the green to make it overwhelmingly obvious that it is a practice putt. For instance, go back to where they hit the first putt from or, move the ball back an extra foot or two.

Interesting point. After the "fiasco" between my other two partners about whether playing what was already given to him, the guy that missed his initial tap in on later holes would get a gimmie from the group and said "Fine, but I want to move it and take a practice shot."

There was no more confusion the rest of the afternoon.

Chip Strokes · September 17, 2020

11 minutes ago, Buffly said:

I record actual strokes so, if someone declines a gimmie then misses I record it as such.

The point of gimmies is to speed up play in confidence the putt would be made. If a fool wants to chance it then it is their choice.

In the original example above, I would remind the player, "if you miss then it is recorded as a miss" to make the player think about it.

If they really insist on practicing then they should pick-up the ball and put it somewhere else on the green to make it overwhelmingly obvious that it is a practice putt. For instance, go back to where they hit the first putt from or, move the ball back an extra foot or two.

It might not be popular but that's how I approach it.

Alternately, I have a friend who will attempt tap in gimmies with one hand instead of his normal two handed grip. He never penalizes himself if he missed it because he wasn't taking it seriously with a one handed putt. I see his point of view and don't penalize him either on gimmies - we only play friendly golf without any competition so, it never matters anyway.

I don't give gimmies on Birdies or pars unless they are less than a foot.

About two feet for bogey, 3 feet for double, and no matter what for a 3 putt. If someone is on the green an missed the first two putts then I say it's good for a 3 putt even if it's still 6 feet away (assuming it's for bogey or worse). I don't want to see any 4 or more putts or see someone get embarrassed over a friendly round.

you don’t sound very fun to play with

FrogginBullfish · September 18, 2020

This is not how gimmies are meant to be handled. If a putt has been given and the player accepts the putt as given, the player is well within their rights to play the putt as it lies as a practice shot. They do not have to move the ball and play it from somewhere else for it to count as practice. When a putt is given and accepted, the score is what the given putt makes it. End of story.

I record actual strokes so, if someone declines a gimmie then misses I record it as such.
The point of gimmies is to speed up play in confidence the putt would be made. If a fool wants to chance it then it is their choice.
In the original example above, I would remind the player, "if you miss then it is recorded as a miss" to make the player think about it.
If they really insist on practicing then they should pick-up the ball and put it somewhere else on the green to make it overwhelmingly obvious that it is a practice putt. For instance, go back to where they hit the first putt from or, move the ball back an extra foot or two.
It might not be popular but that's how I approach it.
Alternately, I have a friend who will attempt tap in gimmies with one hand instead of his normal two handed grip. He never penalizes himself if he missed it because he wasn't taking it seriously with a one handed putt. I see his point of view and don't penalize him either on gimmies - we only play friendly golf without any competition so, it never matters anyway.
I don't give gimmies on Birdies or pars unless they are less than a foot.
About two feet for bogey, 3 feet for double, and no matter what for a 3 putt. If someone is on the green an missed the first two putts then I say it's good for a 3 putt even if it's still 6 feet away (assuming it's for bogey or worse). I don't want to see any 4 or more putts or see someone get embarrassed over a friendly round.

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Buffly · September 18, 2020

29 minutes ago, FrogginBullfish said:

This is not how gimmies are meant to be handled. If a putt has been given and the player accepts the putt as given, the player is well within their rights to play the putt as it lies as a practice shot. They do not have to move the ball and play it from somewhere else for it to count as practice. When a putt is given and accepted, the score is what the given putt makes it. End of story.

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There are no "rules" on gimmies in stroke play that I know of. Match play is another story in regards to conceded putts.

I see your point. As long as the player declares it is a practice shot then it shouldn't matter where they putt from, or if they miss or not.

The scenario I find myself in is more like the player doesn't accept the gimme and says, "I want to put it." That's where I say, "Then if you miss it counts." They usually think about it for a second and pick-up the ball.

I apologise if I didn't clarify that adequately.

FrogginBullfish · September 18, 2020

That would be because gimmies don't exist in competitive stroke play. Any gimmies in stroke play are happening in friendly matches and should be governed by the same rules you'd apply in a competitive match play game in regards to conceded putts. Once the concession is accepted, any further strokes are automatically deemed practice.

I guess the point I'm trying to get across is the way you word it in your statements kind of goes against the spirit of the gimmie. It seems in your situations, the opposing player is unaware how gimmies function. Perhaps you can explain that they can accept your concession and continue on as a practice stroke, but they must first make it known that the concession has been accepted. Beyond that any further strokes are considered practice without need for clarification.

There are no "rules" on gimmies in stroke play that I know of. Match play is another story in regards to conceded putts.
I see your point. As long as the player declares it is a practice shot then it shouldn't matter where they putt from, or if they miss or not.
The scenario I find myself in is more like the player doesn't accept the gimme and says, "I want to put it." That's where I say, "Then if you miss it counts." They usually think about it for a second and pick-up the ball.
I apologise if I didn't clarify that adequately.

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Buffly · September 18, 2020

1 hour ago, FrogginBullfish said:

I guess the point I'm trying to get across is the way you word it in your statements kind of goes against the spirit of the gimmie

I concede that.

Larryd3 · September 18, 2020

agree, once a gimmie is given, the score is set at that point. anything afterwards doesn't matter.

DiscipleofPenick · September 18, 2020

Once a putt is given, it's good. Same in match play or friendly game.

However, if a player putts it anyways and misses, maybe they won't be given those putts in the future.

Take Dead Aim

DaveP043 · September 18, 2020

If you're not really competing, you're not playing a match, you're not posting for handicaps, I don't really care what you do. However, if the entire group agrees that the putt has been conceded, and the player has identified his next attempt as a practice putt, I'd accept that he's just practicing and wouldn't score that one as a "miss". Again, if you're not competing with one another, why should anyone care enough to argue how to score the hole?

Cory O · September 18, 2020

For my own play and what I would suggest to others is just to follow the WHS net double bogey rule where the maximum score is double bogey + any handicap strokes given on that hole. In the example above, if it wasn't a handicap hole, a six would have been the maximum score anyways so it wouldn't have mattered. If the course is busy, I really do think everyone should just pick up at their net double bogey and move on.

Outside of that, I agree with the general sentiment above that given putts are given and the score should be recorded as such. I also don't really understand a game that is a.) casual enough to give putts in stroke play and b.) serious enough that you're keeping each others' scores and writing down a 7 after a missed "given" putt and causing a fiasco.

nofives · September 18, 2020

I'm with the majority on this one. If I say "that's good" and the person I'm playing still putts it, I'm under the assumption he's practicing. I'm cool with that. Sounds like player B has a bit of a beef with A.

GolfSpy_SHARK · September 20, 2020

On 9/17/2020 at 6:54 PM, tony@CIC said:

Our gimmes are within the "leathers" except for pars or birdies. Some of the guys taking the gimme announce that they want to practice the putt. Regardless of whether the putt is made, the gimme stands.

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Bingo, birdie or par finish it. Other than that gimme is a gimme

bacchus · September 21, 2020

Player B needs to relax if it's just for fun, once the put is given in a casual setting nothing after matters. If it was reversed and Player A counted a 7 after the group saying it was a gimme, he'd be a sandbagger. So I think its actually pretty respectable of him that he doesn't want that missed putt to be included in his handicap (assuming he's allowed to take a 7).

If you were in match play it could be a different story, after a putt is given in match play I believe any stroke by that player after the fact is a loss of hole penalty. The main situation here would be if Player A and C were playing together and player A hit a 3 ft putt for double, it might show player C what the ball does around the hole and giving him an advantage.