what is the appropriate length of a putt to give?

[ryan.mzzz]

or, what is etiquette for giving a putt in a friendly game, say between family or good friends? I generally give putt’s two feet and in, but if my dad-in-law gets inside of six feet he starts looking for the okie doke. 

 

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, ryan.mzzz said:

or, what is etiquette for giving a putt in a friendly game, say between family or good friends? I generally give putt’s two feet and in, but if my dad-in-law gets inside of six feet he starts looking for the okie doke. 

 

There is no specific etiquette;  it is what the friendly group agrees too.    My personal opinion is about 2 feet. 

[TG8]

We like to give gimmies if its inside a putter grip or if darkess is approaching we give putter length.  
 

[Headhammer]

<2 feet

[ParFore74x]

I like to go with two foot maximum for gimmies. I have a buddy that goes to three feet or ~ putter length. Six feet definitely seems like too much distance for a gimmie. 

[DaveP043]

If its a friendly game, I'll give anything the player wants.  Some folks like to putt them all, its good practice, so I don't knock a ball away without the players OK.  But if the player doesn't want to putt a 6-footer, why would I care?  If he wants to have a vanity handicap, that's fine too, I just won't partner with him in a real competition.  If its a match, even a really friendly match, I give anything I'm certain the player will make.  That will depend on player and break and speed and match situation.

[Dweed]

On 1/5/2024 at 5:46 PM, ryan.mzzz said:

or, what is etiquette for giving a putt in a friendly game, say between family or good friends? I generally give putt’s two feet and in, but if my dad-in-law gets inside of six feet he starts looking for the okie doke. 

 

Oh heck. If it keeps the peace...give it to him.

[ryan.mzzz]

On 1/6/2024 at 8:00 PM, Dweed said:

Oh heck. If it keeps the peace...give it to him.

well the problem is that we keep score and are trying to win.  so i’m looking for the most generous reasonable answer. which seems to be->

 

On 1/6/2024 at 9:36 AM, DaveP043 said:

If its a friendly game, I'll give anything the player wants.  Some folks like to putt them all, its good practice, so I don't knock a ball away without the players OK.  But if the player doesn't want to putt a 6-footer, why would I care?  If he wants to have a vanity handicap, that's fine too, I just won't partner with him in a real competition.  If its a match, even a really friendly match, I give anything I'm certain the player will make.  That will depend on player and break and speed and match situation.

and although i’ve decided to give all of the putts he starts looking for keeping the peace purposes it’s just hard for me mentally to give  so many 50/50 putts. but if that’s the game he wants to play i should let him enjoy himself.

 

[barney_bogey]

I'll gladly to give a three footer to my buddy who is fuming after he misses a 3 footer.

[Another Steve]

I’m with DaveP043. Friendly rounds do what your conscience allows…. But if it’s for par you “will be pressured to putt it out to make it legit” lol.  Birdie, eagle, or albatross the ball could be hanging on the edge of the hole by the scuffs on the cover and we are gonna tap it in. 
 

Edited to add that I generally DO NOT ask for putts as I prefer the practice and know I can miss a 2 footer as sure as a 10 footer if I don’t focus. 

Edited January 11 by Another Steve

[chisag]

On 1/8/2024 at 3:51 PM, ryan.mzzz said:

and although i’ve decided to give all of the putts he starts looking for keeping the peace purposes it’s just hard for me mentally to give  so many 50/50 putts. but if that’s the game he wants to play i should let him enjoy himself.

 

... If there is nothing on the line but pride, I will give up to 4 feet for friends IF they want it and I always ask "Do you want to putt that?" and the answer varies depending on the day. One of my pards still competes at age 36 and will only take literal tap ins from inside a foot if it's a straight putt. Some of my other higher index pards will take anything I ask because they know they could miss it.  Is there really a big difference between a 92 and a 91?   To their credit if they start out playing well and have a chance at a low score they putt everything outside 1 foot. 

... Someone always asking or expecting longer than 1-2 feet max isn't really playing golf anyway so if they were to "beat me" I would take it with a grain of salt full well knowing they did not. I do think pride comes from within, not from someone else that doesn't play by the same rules. 

[vandyland]

The whole gimmie thing is strange and I think that's why "inside the leather" had to be borne. I, personally, can still miss a 2.5 foot putt so I would rather not be giving anything because (a) it helps my handicap because I will generally miss a "gimmie putt" AT least 5% of the time and (b) it avoids the whole anger over someone giving a putt here and not there. 

It's funny, I was playing in a match play event at my club against a really friendly guy. We were in a foursome so we had our match and the other two were playing each other. Anyway, this friendly gent is consistently giving me 3-4 footers. Finally, I have a LEGIT a 5 foot putt and he starts to say it's good and another member of the foursome says "if you give him that putt I am going to try you on charges of collusion." It was funny. I still lost the match. 

[Stuka44]

On 1/5/2024 at 5:46 PM, ryan.mzzz said:

or, what is etiquette for giving a putt in a friendly game, say between family or good friends? I generally give putt’s two feet and in, but if my dad-in-law gets inside of six feet he starts looking for the okie doke. 

 

Standard length(ish) putter we give inside the grip for par or worse.  Birdie putts, must be made, even if its a 1.5 footer!  I have been keeping track of putt lengths for about 125 rounds now.  My 50/50 make distance is 6 feet.  This would seem like pushing the "gimme" range a little to me.  3 feet and under combined is about, 93% make overall.  Maybe throw some numbers at him, pro's 50/50 make last time I checked was like 7'10 " or something.  But in the end, stay on the father-in-laws good side.

[KC Golf]

I’m generally generous on gimmes.  Unless the person I am playing with is a jerk and then I am watching him putt 2 footers.

[Josh Parker]

When I played with the "noon" group years ago it was anything inside the leather..... that was until a few decided the leather needed to be shorter on their putters. Ha. One guy showed up with his grip only able to have one hand on it. 

I personally want to putt mine in but if it's a for fun round, they can pick up anything they want to.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

When we are playing a buddies round or just a real casual round, or conversely trying to chase the sun at the end of a round, we do gimmes inside the length of the putter from the hole. When playing for a legit score, I like to putt everything out even if someone tells me I can pick it up. I'm pretty lax on that. If someone wants to take gimmes that are close to not being so, I don't really care that much as it doesn't impact my score and we aren't playing for any stakes.

[tdroma98]

On 1/8/2024 at 5:51 PM, ryan.mzzz said:

well the problem is that we keep score and are trying to win.  so i’m looking for the most generous reasonable answer. which seems to be->

if you you're keeping score and friendly, anything inside the leather of a putter, would be reasonable in a friendly game. Six footers a bit excessive, especially if keeping score! 

[chisag]

18 minutes ago, tdroma98 said:

if you you're keeping score and friendly, anything inside the leather of a putter, would be reasonable in a friendly game. Six footers a bit excessive, especially if keeping score! 

 

... Ain't it a funny game? I play with folks that will move the ball out of a divot, roll it in the rough, move it from behind a tree/bush, re-hit a skulled chip and of course a mulligan or 2 but evidently draw the line at how far a gimme should be.   

[Rob Person]

On 1/6/2024 at 8:33 AM, ParFore74x said:

I like to go with two foot maximum for gimmies. I have a buddy that goes to three feet or ~ putter length. Six feet definitely seems like too much distance for a gimmie. 

But what if you have a 5 foot arm swing putter?  

[StrokerAce]

there is no appropriate length.... lol

 

[Wheelieb]

I was just talking about this with a few of the guys I work with. In the league I played in my partner and I had a deal between us. If the other team we were playing against had putts within 3 ft on the first 4 holes, we would give it to them with the exception of if it was to win the hole. Obvious exceptions were if we shot ourselves out of that hole and even if they 2 putted they would still win that hole it was a gimme. The last 5 holes we made them putt everything. Reason being is if they were so used to being given those putts, they all the sudden became stiff with their putts and missed and we would win the hole more times than not. This lead to us winning more matches and get into the playoffs.  

[Josh Parker]

2 hours ago, Wheelieb said:

I was just talking about this with a few of the guys I work with. In the league I played in my partner and I had a deal between us. If the other team we were playing against had putts within 3 ft on the first 4 holes, we would give it to them with the exception of if it was to win the hole. Obvious exceptions were if we shot ourselves out of that hole and even if they 2 putted they would still win that hole it was a gimme. The last 5 holes we made them putt everything. Reason being is if they were so used to being given those putts, they all the sudden became stiff with their putts and missed and we would win the hole more times than not. This lead to us winning more matches and get into the playoffs.  

Ha... strategic....

I putt mine out for this very reason.  Even if they give it to me.  I will take it but I'm still setting the ball down and putting out.

Edited January 16 by Josh Parker

[Wheelieb]

29 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Ha... strategic....

I putt mine out for this very reason.  Even if they give it to me.  I will take it but I'm still setting the ball down and putting out.

Got to get a leg up somehow. We had a guy get super mad we made him putt a footer when he missed it. It was to tie us and to tie the match on the last hole. Sorry bud, but we gotta see that drop. And he left it on the bottom side with about the same distance. When he missed is when we told him it was good. We had won the match then

[KC Golf]

On 1/11/2024 at 3:30 PM, chisag said:

 

... Ain't it a funny game? I play with folks that will move the ball out of a divot, roll it in the rough, move it from behind a tree/bush, re-hit a skulled chip and of course a mulligan or 2 but evidently draw the line at how far a gimme should be.   

My favourite is the kick out of the rough to the first cut or fairway.  No discussion they just do it. 

Also love the generous cart path rule with the favourable drop to eliminate any potential hazards like trees, rough and  hard pan problems. 

I just always laugh because they save 4-5 strokes a round but are always mid 80s or better for their round. 
 

[GolfSpy_APH]

For me it all depends on the golfer and round. That being said when someone picks up or takes it away in not going to say anything. It's their game and their choice.

[berkeleybob]

I was told once that the general standard is a putter club’s length. If you’re in-law wants a gimme further out, tell him fine, but you want 2 gotchas in return. 

Edited January 17 by berkeleybob

[BigJerry]

very dependent on playing partners and type of round - I've had guys give 3 footers that are definitely knee knockers and could be the difference between and 85 and a 92 - I've also played with guys who go on the length of a bottle of wine

["Mr. 72"]

If we're gambling, anything inside the leather (about 2.5') is given.

If we're not gambling then anything goes, and guys will start knocking back putts from various lengths to the point where I might say, "I'll mark it", if I see a guy approach my ball that I think is too long for a gimme.

Quite frankly, I'm OK with any distance. I would rather give a putt than see someone miss a short putt. ...Missing short putts might be the least fun thing to do in golf.

[fozcycle]

Seems to me that a gimmee should not be allowed if you are going to record your score in GHIN. If not recording, then 12 to 18 inches should work.

[Mike B]

We give 1 foot or less in my league. I sometimes have a very tough time with 2 foot putts.