Gimme Putts

[Triple_Putt]

With the groups I usually play with, we putt out Par and Birdies, and putter shaft length and in for a gimme past that.  To me that keeps the putts that matter still being rolled, and keeping the game moving when we are already past par(and usually climbing rapidly)

[acatalano32]

It all comes down to who you’re playing with and what you’re playing for. If you’re playing a casual round with buddies and having a good time, then take the gimmie, give the gimmie, enjoy! Obviously if you’re trying to establish a legit handicap or playing in some sort of tournament, then putt everything out. 
 

with all that being said, if you were playing a casual game of poker with your friends, youre not just gonna give them the pot because they were close to flush or a straight.

 

[Julius]

On 5/27/2023 at 5:43 PM, 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. 

 

General rule for us, "inside the leather" of the putter grip - we can call that a gimme.  Outside the leather - debatable, highly unlikely to happen UNLESS we are hard pressed on time (which is the only real reason it exists).  Some of the guys will still putt it out anyway inside the leather, and that is ok as well.  What I hate is when we call the gimme and someone stands over it for 3 minutes practicing their arc stroke and misses it anyway.  That is annoying AND keeps play slow. 

[Julius]

1 hour ago, Stevenhp said:

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.

I agree - birdie and par putts require sinking it, even if in the leather (so within the grip of the putter).  No one I play with gives those away typically. You have to earn it.  On the triple bogey we do it. 

[LebanonOz]

I personally prefer to putt everything to stay sharp.  In our Tuesday league Par putts or better cannot be gimmes no matter how close they are.  I will give a one footer during league play for bogey or worse.  A lot of guys are very lax though and I think it really depends on how "easy" the putt is perceived to be.  They would likely give a gimme to someone putting like a pro that day with a 3 foot level putt.  If it is a 3 footer on a severe side slope they are going to have to putt.

[Chipmunk]

The group I play with most often does give puts, 1-2ft, however we are only playing for fun and it does help us keep moving. The golf league I played in does as well however those are typically 1ft or less and never for a birdie.

[BillybobT]

I see many people here responding that they would never concede a birdie putt. I suspect many of us on this forum are like me and putting for par or bogey is regular thing, and just as difficult as a birdie putt, so let's get rid of the bullshit. Any putt is as important as any other. Would you concede the longest drive to another player? Closest to the pin? I suggest we all just play the game and finish every hole the way it was meant to be played. Some of those devious course designers put those holes in places for a reason, and I fully intend to curse them out every time I get the chance.

[funkyjudge]

If it is to win or halve the hole, I don’t care how short the putt is, you are going to have to putt it out if you are playing against me.

[Shifty]

If it's for fun, nothing wrong with 2' gimmies.

If it's for anything at all, putt everything out to avoid disputes.

[Pat Snr]

No such thing as a “gimmie”

nor a “Mulligan”

[Beakbryce]

Giving putts is part of match play, and strategic in nature. Giving putts in stroke play is questionable.

That being said, since I do neither, most of the time my group auto 2 putts as our greens aren't that good. We don't play for anything other than fun.  Most people would say that that ruins your putting but I won the last putting contest I entered. I probably hit 50 putts a day on my birdie putting mat.

[JerryB]

 

 

[ChuckZ]

With the guys I play with in our men's leagues, no such thing as a gimme.  No such thing unless you are picking up for a triple bogey.  

[Dweed]

It is situational dependent...and my mood. Serious rounds always putt it out.  Messing with friends gimmes 18 inches or so are OK. Our league doesn't have an official stance, but between 4 somes basically decide.  There are 2 teams I can think of that I usually allow gimmes almost as soon as they get on the green. They are very slow and deliberate and elderly. 90+. I'm just happy they are out there. Absolutely no way they could beat me so to speed up the game I'm very liberal.

[JerryB]

I've played with a couple people that are getting older and are developing mobility issues.  They're more or less putting towards a five foot circle around the pin after which they pick up and move on.  Dropping a long putt is worth the cranky body parts, though.

The only time I take gimmes is on the "get me outta here" holes.  Generally when I've passed triple bogey and/or missed what should have been an easy third putt.

[sopranosly]

First what does it matter to you ? It depends on the game your playing if gambling . It speeds up play. Whats next play the ball down ( no touch ) . Pro's play by the rules weekday golfers play for fun. you give putts all day long then someone needs to make a two foot putt for birdie for a few bucks . that's when you say putt it out. 

[10Hockey]

My take on gimme putts is that YOU own your handicap and I am not going to influence your approach to keeping track of how you play in regards to your handicap.  So, I never tell anyone to pick up a putt, it is their decision to rake it away or putt it .  Tournament golf is totally a different story as you play by the rules of golf.   If you want a handicap that is lower because you never miss 1 or 2 footers due to picking it up , that's your call . Not a fan of gimme's.

[Caddie1966]

I putt out every hole and record the putts I stroke even if my partners donate one to me.  It’s just the way I do it. 

[Donn lost in San Diego]

Unless really backed up, I think a player who isn't clowning around is ok to hole out.  I hate person who wants to replay every 5 to 10 footer they miss.

[Rosey31]

Some in our weekly game allow gimmies and some do not. I prefer to putt everything out. 

[Charles Lechair]

I have no issue with true gimmes (say 2 or 3 feet), but I definitely do know some guys that get a little too generous with them, and then will just pick their ball up or half-heartedly putt their 4 or 5 footers that I would never give. 

At the end of the day, if we're not playing for money i couldn't care less. If you want to shave a couple strokes to inflate the ego a little bit, what do i care. You're only hurting yourself by artificially lowering the HC

It does annoy me when they just toss you your ball on something i wouldn't even give me myself. There's something satisfying about hitting cups and seeing the ball go in the hole

[EMacK1961]

Gimme putts can keep the game moving. Speed of play issues, etc. Having said that, isn’t it the point of the game to get the ball in the hole…that sound of a ball rattling around the bottom of the cup? I prefer no gimmes for myself. I like that feeling of victory when the ball goes in, no matter how many strokes.

[Stuka44]

I prefer to putt everything out, and my weekend group knows this.  As for gimmes, we operate from the "everyone keeps their own score, however they want" philosophy.  Tournament play, clearly no gimmes.  For money among friends, I still say its the groups decision.  On my recent golf trip, the rule was you had to putt out for bogey, once you got to double or worse, you querried the group on if the lag putt you just left at 4 feet was good for a 7.  With 5 foursomes on the courses, and being cognizant of pace of play, pretty much anything inside of 6 feet was good for double or worse.

And contrary to some comments, I understand everyone has paid their money, and I don't want to  "mess" with anyone's handicap(which only a fraction of anyone who plays this game will ever use for anything), and NO I have not been appointed "Pace of play Czar", by anyone, but on busy weekends, it is aggravating to observe a group  "grinding" over 2-4 footers for double bogey or worse, presumably because there is $2 on the line.  That is why our group attempts to avoid this at almost any cost now, by playing wherever we need to, in order to get a tee time in the first half hour 40 minutes of tee times.

[MaxEntropy]

On 5/29/2023 at 3:47 AM, GolfSpy_APH said:

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

Absolutely! Our league allows gimmes at the discretion of only the opposing player. There are some very good putters in our league that I will be more generous with my gimmes and some that terrible putters who will have a shorter range in my mind. I also do the math on where our scores stand - tight match or I need the hole/point, gimmes just got shorter. If it's a blow-out either way, more generous.

I don't know why, but I'm a little surprised that there are so many very strong opinions on the topic.

[ballhawk]

OK, here's a question that has surfaced on the gimmes..............Normal playing round with your group and there's a couple of bucks on the line and your playing partners say on a putt, that's good pick it up and you decide to putt it anyway and you miss it...........what's the/your position on what happened? Does the gimme count or does the missed stroke now count.  

[cnosil]

OK, here's a question that has surfaced on the gimmes..............Normal playing round with your group and there's a couple of bucks on the line and your playing partners say on a putt, that's good pick it up and you decide to putt it anyway and you miss it...........what's the/your position on what happened? Does the gimme count or does the missed stroke now count.  

I’d go with match play rules which state that once a hole is conceded it cannot be revoked. Thus once you concede the putt the hole is complete.

[vandyland]

6 hours ago, Stuka44 said:

I prefer to putt everything out, and my weekend group knows this.

Same. I have missed 1.5 ft putts before so I know this is something I have to stay sharp on. I am not a competitive player and I play golf courses very short so I already have that advantage. Plus, it would only make me think I am a better player than I actually am and I need to stay as humble as possible because...well...golf is humbling. I don't really care if other people give themselves putts or not. Whatever helps people enjoy the game.