Gimme Putts

[Irish-Assassin]

Question. Are gimme putts good for the game or are they bad for your golf game.
I’ve played with lots of players that love giving gimme putts because they want them returned in kind. 
I don’t like this, Ive upset players by saying, no sorry I’ll putt it out. 
My reasoning for this is when I really need to make a putt in say a tourney stroke play or a match play event then I can draw on the fact that I’m comfortable making them. 

For myself, gimme putts are in play to help speed up the game of golf.

What length do people feel is a gimme putt? 

Some say within the shaft and up to the bottom of the putter grip is a gimme, I say when it’s sitting on the edge of the cup. 

 

[GaDawg]

No gimmies longer than 6 inches.

[GolfSpy_APH]

24 minutes ago, MJ McNamara said:

Question. Are gimme putts good for the game or are they bad for your golf game.
I’ve played with lots of players that love giving gimme putts because they want them returned in kind. 
I don’t like this, Ive upset players by saying, no sorry I’ll putt it out. 
My reasoning for this is when I really need to make a putt in say a tourney stroke play or a match play event then I can draw on the fact that I’m comfortable making them. 

For myself, gimme putts are in play to help speed up the game of golf.

What length do people feel is a gimme putt? 

Some say within the shaft and up to the bottom of the putter grip is a gimme, I say when it’s sitting on the edge of the cup. 

 

Personally i have no issues with gimmes and as I don't have a regular group and play with new ppl basically every round I leave it up to them. Some prefer to putt put everything, some take longer gimmes. 

I usually putt put all as a habit. Just makes me feel good, but if someone takes a bunch I also couldn't careless. Its their own game to enjoy how they please. 

[roland49]

the groups I play with will give some putts, of which some maybe should have been putted out. If I or others are getting ready for a tourney everything will b putted out.

[Randall Robbins]

Our league does it at a foot, but it becomes more a judgement issue as you're playing.

[SteveGH7]

Our league does it depending on course.  Most tournaments there are no gimme putts, but on one particular course they allow it because of the pace of play issues there.  Personally I think they should be limited to "tap-ins", and not the one to two footers that are sometimes considered gimmes.  I also think there shouldn't be gimmes if putting for par or better.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

If it is a friendly round with friends, anything inside 2’ can be and is often given, although there is certainly gamesmanship at play when a 2 footer has to be “seen” .

If there is any amount of money or  a wager at stake, then there are no gimmes and everything must be finished out.

[Flipper Hirt]

I never give putts in a regular round, especially if money is on the line. I putt everything out, even a 4” tap-in. Match play is different, but still tough to do. (Usually leave it to my partner). The fact golfers take so many putts leads to slow play in tournaments when they have to putt out

[BillybobT]

One of the best things that ever happened to me was playing in a league when I was stationed at a Navy base in Florida. Every Saturday morning we held a group outing, usually around 130 of us, playing a modified Stableford system. What was understood throughout the league was that there NO GIMME PUTTS! Every hole had to be holed out. And this was back in the day when the flag couldn't be in the hole. It was part of the best time in my golf life. Gimme is okay for friendly rounds, but if you're playing for something (even if it's almost nothing), I don't like it.

[greyhounds15]

How league allows gimmes on short puts which I have no problem with.

[Threeputtgame]

For me the giving of gimme putts depends on the situation and with whom I’m playing.  If I’m playing with my normal group for practice or fun, a gimme is okay.  Yet, if I’m playing a serious round, tournament, or for money the putt has to be really short for me to give or take a gimme.

[BKervin]

I like to putt it out! However, when you are on a busy not competitive course I have no problem with the gimme but also find I still sit and wait at the next hole to tee off.  Not sure what is accomplished with a gimme- unless your group is the cause for the slow down.

Could be because my putting is one of my best strengths too.

[BillybobT]

To anyone that advocates a gimme putt for the sake of speed of play, BULLSHIT! The few seconds it may take to line up a putt like that will not speed up play, even in a casual round on most any golf course. There are some professional players out there that can get pretty ridiculous, but for the most part, most players are reasonable. Those that aren't are only trying to piss you off.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

I think it just depends on the situation and who you are playing with. In the Tuesday scramble league I am in, we will give the other group gimme putts after the first few holes so we know what kind of putters they are. But anything outside 2 feet is putted out. When I’m playing casually with friends, I putt out even if they offer up a gimme because I’m working towards consistently scoring under 100 and hopefully breaking 90 this summer, and I want all the strokes to be meaningful. I’ve had buddies offer up gimmes that are questionable and I just putt it out. I’ll give them to friends within reason as well. It doesn’t matter too much to me as their score doesn’t impact me at all. 

[TylorJudd]

Everyone pays to play the way they want. Can't tell a person how to enjoy their hard earned money. It's another ball that may be out of your line of they take them!

[Fred Mitchell]

Only 2 kinds of warships, Submarines and targets.

[funkyjudge]

My rule is that putts need to be holed, as long as there is money or league points on the line. All of the leagues that I play in specify that birdies (and the rare eagle opportunities) must be putted out, and it is up to the golfers whether they accept par gimmes or putt out.

[Shapotomous]

In our league play i usually putt everything out even if its been given unless its a tap in and i would be standing in somebodys line.

I will give putts early in the round and then make them putt out on the last few holes.  Some players tend to tighten up on a 2'er if its a tight match.  Its all part of the gamesmanship.  Pros do the same thing in ryder cup play.

No gimmees on Birdie putts though since the league tracks them and pays out for the most over the year.

[AndySP]

I don’t play in a league or for money but I like putting everything out. I wanna hear the sound of holing out. If someone tells me “that’s good” I just putt anyway, never caused any tension that I can remember. 

[Swood1994]

The league I play in has some guys that don’t give anything and others that give (and take) 2-3 footers maybe more. I usually will give around a putter grip length so about a 1ft maybe a little longer if I like the guy. 
 

last year we were playing the last night of the year to determine the winner of the entire thing and me and my partner talked to the other team and said to avoid any issues let’s agree to putt everything out. Made a huge difference as some of the 1-2 footers were missed in our favor so we ended up winning the league

[fixyurdivot]

My .02 cents on this is that gimmie putts inside a foot are fine for casual play and will not skew final scores.  I also think it does help speed up play a bit and that's never a bad thing at most courses during peak seasons.  My Monday group and of course men's league putts everything out.  My Thursday and Saturday group uses gimmies and especially om some of the team games where the players putt/score cannot improve the team score.  

[tony@CIC]

In our friendly group play - gimmes are always given, I'll take it but announce I want to hit a practice putt anyway. In our more formal league - no gimmes, you have to putt everything out. 

[BKervin]

[CudaKota66]

I won't accept given putts. Period.

I will pick-up when ESC rules come-into-play & head to the next tee.

You golf as you please & I'll golf as I please.

[cnosil]

37 minutes ago, CudaKota66 said:

I won't accept given putts. Period.

I will pick-up when ESC rules come-into-play & head to the next tee.

You golf as you please & I'll golf as I please.

Unless you are playing match play under the rules of golf.   If your opponent concedes the hole,  the hole is complete.   A concession, once offered, may be neither withdrawn nor declined.

[GolfSpy_APH]

Does skill level ever come into play when you are allowing gimmes?

[Stevenhp]

I like to hole everything out. I get a little annoyed when after a long putt they decide if it’s a gimme. I always thought the standard length was the club grip, but with the newer grips and longer putters that’s not the case. I insist on holing out birdie and par putts.

[TappityTapTap]

I play with some people who don't mark their ball even when it's a couple feet from the hole and in my line. So I have no problem giving them the putt as much as I do them picking up the ball and sticking a tee in the ground to mark it and still blocking the line.

[TR1PTIK]

On 5/27/2023 at 10:43 AM, MJ McNamara said:

Question. Are gimme putts good for the game or are they bad for your golf game.
I’ve played with lots of players that love giving gimme putts because they want them returned in kind. 
I don’t like this, Ive upset players by saying, no sorry I’ll putt it out. 
My reasoning for this is when I really need to make a putt in say a tourney stroke play or a match play event then I can draw on the fact that I’m comfortable making them. 

For myself, gimme putts are in play to help speed up the game of golf.

What length do people feel is a gimme putt? 

Some say within the shaft and up to the bottom of the putter grip is a gimme, I say when it’s sitting on the edge of the cup. 

 

I recently saw an Instagram post (from the USGA) concerning this that you should store in your memory banks somewhere. Once a putt is conceded, it cannot be taken back. It's in the rules of golf (Rule 23.3-c1 if I looked it up correctly). So, if your buddy concedes a putt, you can still putt the ball if you choose. Granted, the rule is meant for match play but given how loose most groups are with the rules anyway I don't see much difference here.

Now, if the problem is your playing partner just hits the ball back to you, you still have the right to return the ball to its spot and stroke a putt if it's that important to you or, simply tell them not to touch your ball.

I've never had an issue with anyone when I've told them I'd like to putt out.

[golffun]

Gimmes are necessary to keep friends.    personally, don't like them because there's no standard.    Is it   1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet or based on possible score...   Spreads into competition, which doesn't protect the field.    When you play with people that do gimmes, they usually don't follow the rules of golf in other areas.    If you were to relate it to another sport, such as basketball.   then missing a layup, should be rewarded with a point.   sounds dumb, but that's effectively what gimmes do to the great game of golf.  People see it in match play and then assume it applies to stroke play as well.