Why do you want a "Gimme"?

[6iron]

I have a friend that is constantly wanting a gimme when he has a three foot putt. He will shoot in the mid 80s when I give him the putts but when we play with other partners that won't give them to him he's in the low 90s. I always putt the ball in the cup and not accept any gimmes when we play together, hoping he will take the hint. How would you handle it?

[enduro]

I have a friend that is constantly wanting a gimme when he has a three foot putt. He will shoot in the mid 80s when I give him the putts but when we play with other partners that won't give them to him he's in the low 90s. I always putt the ball in the cup and not accept any gimmes when we play together, hoping he will take the hint. How would you handle it?

3 foot gimmes?! Those are the nerve testers! those putts are important for 2 reasons. If you miss them they cost you a terrible stroke. As bad as any shank or slice could ever be. It's the same thing. Secondly, that carries on to the next tee and affects you. It can get in your head and make other strokes worse. 3' is never a gimme.

The sound of the ball in the cup is one of my favorites in the game. To be denied that would kill me.

[Jackslap]

I'd probably make a light hearted joke, semi sarcastic about it. Something like " Gee, I wish I could always "make" three foot putts too. A little smile afterward, and elbow to the ribs...Maybe he won't stop taking them, but he'll sure know you're noticing. Perhaps sooner or later he'd get it.

Or you could just scream in his face "B.S. man putt it in, the tournament is on the line here!" Act like you are taking it WAY too seriously. Maybe victory dance on the green a little bit when you DO outshoot him and act like a total A-hole. Maybe he'd get that.

All in good fun.

[Silzildrummer]

I don't understand this either. I like finishing my putts. The thought of completing a hole from the tees to the cup is a satisfying feeling in my opinion. Especially if the "gimme" is for a par or birdie.

[enduro]

I don't understand this either. I like finishing my putts. The thought of completing a hole from the tees to the cup is a satisfying feeling in my opinion. Especially if the "gimme" is for a par or birdie.

Yeah, for sure. When I have a tap in for birdie I always let who I'm with that I don't get a lot of these so I'm going to enjoy it.

[CG031]

Being a tournament (and hopefully college player) I only take putts inside of a foot, tap-in's if you will.

People take 3 footers because they know they will miss them. If you notice, they are also quick to say "that's good" to you as well.

I once played with a guy, claimed he was a 5 handicap (which is why 50% of the time I don't believe people's handicap's...) who gave himself putts from 5 feet and in. 5 feet! He would be like "Let me just clean that up!" And he'd tap a 5 footer in one handed, without looking, etc. and of course he missed every single time, do you really think he was counting that on his scorecard?

I think not.

He did this at least 5 strokes. Maybe closer to 7.

[Travtex]

I don't take gimmies, though in my case I don't think it makes a difference -- I'll find a way to suck. *hah*

An exception to this rule was when my friend and I played one of the local PnP par 3 courses. Almost everything was a gimmie once we discovered that every hole was infested with fire ants.

Want to screw up your mental game? Try a four foot putt that your brain doesn't want you to make. Reaching in and retrieving a ball from angry fire ants is not positive reinforcement, lol.

[enduro]

Being a tournament (and hopefully college player) I only take putts inside of a foot, tap-in's if you will.

lol, sounds like a guy I knew. He would take a 6 or something on a hole and really it was an 8. He did this a lot. Wouldn't count all types of bad shots or short putts or lost balls in water/woods. He thought he had a good day golfing with an 82 or something and when I told him I counted him and he had a 96, he was "shocked". He said "man, those shots really do add up!". And I gave him 2 mulligans, lol. Ya...

[Shindig]

I have a friend that is constantly wanting a gimme when he has a three foot putt. He will shoot in the mid 80s when I give him the putts but when we play with other partners that won't give them to him he's in the low 90s. I always putt the ball in the cup and not accept any gimmes when we play together, hoping he will take the hint. How would you handle it?

Are you playing against him, or just with him? If you never need his handicap to be honest for any reason, and don't have anything on the line, just let him have them - and don't get in the way of his fun. I view this the same way I view people who play preferred lies all the time: if their inattention to golf's rules doesn't affect me, I don't care.

Worth noting: at the 1962 U.S. Open, a rules official - I want to say it was Joe Dey, but I'm not 100% certain - had to issue the ruling that you cannot concede a putt in stroke play.

[out_in_30]

he might honestly think he would make those putts, but he is scared to death of actually missing them and having to deal with a higher score and tattered mental reserve; rather than being able to assume he 'would have' made those putts. and ure right. those putts add up and it is only hurting his game cuz like you said, he doesnt make em when they count... its amazing how many 3 -5 foot par putts I have everytime I play. When I sink legitimate putts during practice rounds it serves to boost my confidence during tournament play because I look back to those times when faced with the same putt during competition. Tell him to start draining everything if he wants to take his game to the next level. If not, then it doesnt really matter lol.

[grandaddy510]

it really doesn't matter to me if its just a casual round, although i do think its funny when someone wants a 3 footer, i'll pick it up if its inside 1 ft. unless its for bird i'll putt it...i mean if its for a snow man and theres people on our backs they can pick up a 5 footer all day. but i occasionally play with someone whos like that, quick to give you a 2-3ft and wants them back in return, shaves his penalty strokes, or the topped drive, hits into the trees, pitches out, misses the green, chips on and 3 putts for a double...lol...we just let him have his fun he only makes the weekend foursome if someone can't go and i would never play him for money...he's the one that everytime he plays by himself he shoots low 90's but when you play with him he never busts a c note

but if we're playin skins in our regular foursome nobody likes to give anything lol

[hippyboy]

With the people I play with you know where you stand. If it's a 3 foot putt it will never be concede & always greeted with one of 2 favourite phrases:

"That's a little tester there for ya"

or

"I've seen those missed"


I like finishing off a hole, as others have said it's good practice for tournament play.
Also, regardless of whether it's a practice round or money involved, we never give putts that are for birdies or pars, you have to putt out.

[alf174]

If you notice, they are also quick to say "that's good" to you as well.

Very true. Don't accept them and don't give them. When they say "thats good" I jokingly reply "c'mon, you've seen me putt, I need the practice" and then I finish.

My usual partners quite offering long ago because they know I play to finish the hole.

[David in FL]

Tell him the definition of a "gimme"......

"An agreement between two golfers, neither of whom putt very well"!

Then tell him to make the damn putt!

[MSDOGS1976]

Our group takes gimme's inside the leather. Speeds up play. But anything outside that is rarely given. If a player is out of the hole on our bets, we sometimes give a few outside the leather. Again, just to speed up play.

[n8ron]

I got paired up with a guy one Sunday morning who picked up every put inside 4ft. That in itself didn't bother me until he started giving me advice and razzing me. During a casual round with this stranger on Sunday, he actually told me "Don't choke." on a birdie putt. That really pissed me off.

[Thaddy]

I love making those 3 footers. Not only is the sound of the cup dropping in the hole satisfying, it's nice to know that if I'm ever in a pressure situation where I have to make a 3 footer, I can.

People that take those gimme's are putting 0 confidence in their putting stroke and their ability to make a simple putt. When put on the line, they'll eventually choke.

[Smarf]

I don't take gimmies, though in my case I don't think it makes a difference -- I'll find a way to suck. *hah*

Leave the flag in, angle it slightly and yank it out quickly. The flip your ball up with your putter and catch it in your shirt pocket. You can scream "Booya" every time if you want to look extra cool. Of course there may be ants clinging to the ball.