Why do you want a "Gimme"?

[lastings]

2 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Laugh or say "Ha!" ?

yeah..   that 2nd one.  

[The Hook Meister]

The easy way to handle this is to say no. I have a friend that we give each other a bad time about gimmie's. We know the other will probably miss the putt. If you have ever seen us putt you would agree,  As a rule of thumb nothing more than 8 inches is a gimmie.

[cutchemist42]

I dont get it, I also dont get why the spread of dropping at a spot with 1 penalty when you lost your ball or went OB is fine for so many. Probably comes from the same mindset.

 

Edited December 20, 2017 by cutchemist42

[dbuck]

I am pretty good on two footers, not as good on three footers, but fair. I have a buddy who gives me most of them, but I putt them out anyway, for all the reasons we all know. I say thanks, but write down my true score. I don't mind giving him his; he doesn't keep a handicap, we are not betting, and it is just a fun game.

I think though, I am doing him a disservice by giving the putts. We do play the occasional tournament together, so it would sharpen his skills. I think I will encourage him to make more next year.

[sharpljp]

IMO.. it is gentleman's game. If your opponent or friend gives you the putt, to me, it is just a friendly gesture. You don't have to accept it either. You can always say, "No I'm good man I want to practice these short putts for tournament play."

Now if you are asking for gimmies.. that is a little different. To me, that does not fall in line with being a gentleman. 

People forget that this is a gentleman's game.. even pros..

[lastings]

59 minutes ago, cutchemist42 said:

I dont get it, I also dont get why the spread of dropping at a spot with 1 penalty when you lost your ball or went OB is fine for so many. Probably comes from the same mindset.

 

because many people just don't care that much.  They don't want to look for lost balls. and they sure as hell aren't walking back to the tee.   Some people just want to enjoy golf, and for them that just means getting out on the course, and trying to make some good swings.  

you're looking at this from the perspective of someone that really loves golf done correctly.   But that is not everyone's perspective.   Myself, I love a great fully by the book golf battle.   But, I know plenty of people that just don't care for that.   Some people are just there for the sun and the beer.   Sometimes, I'm just there for the sun and the beer.  

 

Edited December 20, 2017 by lastings

[Buckeyebowman]

Good point, lastings. For many, golf is NOT serious. It's like badminton in the back yard.

I have never asked for a gimme, and haven't encountered too many people who do unless they offer you one as well. Let's say you're scrambling or in match play and both sides wind up with 2 footers. The other team says, "Good, good?". OK, let's halve the hole and get to the next tee.

It should be obvious why guys ask for gimmes on short putts. They don't want to be embarrassed by missing them! Miss a 20-30 footer, no one cares because they didn't expect you to make it. Miss a 2-3 footer, you look like an idiot!

[Nutsmacker]

When I play with my friends, we rarely offer gimmes.  Occasionally, we do if someone hits an amazing recovery shot or something.  We are playing for money and the focus is on best ball + cumulative score.  It is not a ton of money, but we are ultra competitive.  However, it is almost an unwritten rule on the gimme after the amazing recovery shot.  But there is no gimmes on birdie/eagle putts.  Those have to be played out no matter how close they are.  The reason we offer that gimme on the amazing recovery shot for par; is to keep everyone in good spirits.  We like to play a match where we are all playing our best and our mental spirit is good.  The best days are when we walk off even because we played a good match.  The least fun are the ones where the other team owes a lot of money.  

When I play as a single with strangers at my local muni, I am typically trying to make friends with the players and I will play to whatever style they want.  I will typically putt everything out, but there are times that the playing partner will just knock the ball back to me w/o asking.  When they do that, I just take it.  I am not going to go back and put the ball back and putt out the shortie.  I feel like that would make the other person feel guilty.  I don't normally "give" a player I don't know a putt unless that seems to be the way they have been playing all day and I will ask them first.   

And of course, if it is a tournament/competition...putt everything out.  

[Osnola]

My brothers, that I play with, want the "gimme"....So, before we tee off on #1, I make a statement like "We will play the ball until it is in the hole"...they always agree but after 4-5 holes, they are back to taking the "gimme".  I tell them that they will never know what they actually shoot as long as they keep doing that.....Doesn't seem to bother them.  I play it till it goes in the hole and they generally beat me by about 3-4 strokes.....but I know the real score....

[HJJ003]

Look I’m a 21 cap so I know I am not a good golfer, but with that said I’m better than most of the people I play with. I give gimmies more than I take them because most of the guys I play with like them and since they are not following most of the other uses of Golf (like stroke and distance) I let them have gimmies so they can take their “double” and get out of there. I usually one take them if the putt is less than a foot and only if my playing partners offer them. 

[Club Rat]

I'll offer a gimmie when it's inside the leather or the player is putting for a higher score than their ESC
I never ask and prefer to hole out all putts, unless the round has gone south that day or if the group needs to move along.

[baller7345]

On 12/20/2017 at 9:39 AM, cutchemist42 said:

I dont get it, I also dont get why the spread of dropping at a spot with 1 penalty when you lost your ball or went OB is fine for so many. Probably comes from the same mindset.

 

As long as you aren't playing for anything I see this one as nothing more than a time saver.  Of course you should probably hit a provisional if you think there is a chance it went OB or could be lost, but I'm not going to be that upset if we spend 5 minutes looking for a ball, can't find it and then the guy drops a ball and plays it like a hazard.  If we drive all the way back to the tee box and do it all over again then we are going to cause a traffic jam on that tee.  Now if he's posting the score for handicap purposes or if there is anything on the line, even if it's just for bragging rights, then yeah...go back and hit another one.

[fishgolf]

The friends I play with use the "gimmie" system routinely.  For the most part putts inside 1 foot.  I think it helps speed up play a little and I don't mind its use for non tournament rounds.  Of course 1 foot putts are not always made, so as it pertains to using that for establishing handicap is another discussion.

[Hackpro]

I keep my own score and let the others play anyway they want.  If they want to play fantasy golf that's on them. Life is easier when you stop trying to get people to do what you want them to. 

Some time back, my buddy brought along his hot shot son and the kid was taking Gimmies and Mulligans and bragging about all the Pars and Birdies.  I tried to be Zen about it, but it really bothered me. 

 

The definition of a Gimmie...  A mutual agreement between two lousy putters. 

[Marty2019]

I like giving and accepting gimmes because it speeds up play.   When we play for money (or beers), no gimmes.  But I don't like holding up groups behind us so, if we're not playing for money or beer, "good-good."  Go to the next hole. 

[Lihu]

This thread reminds me of threads where most posters are saying that the putting average should be 29 to 32 putts per round for the average golfer when in reality it's more like 35 to 38.

Yes, if the average person takes these outrageous gimmes, I can see 29 to 32 putts. In some cases, I swear it's because they don't even count the gimmes.

[Kalnoky]

On 8/20/2009 at 4:57 PM, cougar978 said:

If you're competing against him, I'd make it known before you tee off that we hole everything. If not, who cares?

That's what I would do also - state the "rules" before you go out. Maybe add a side bet on putts?

If people think they're speeding the game up by taking gimmes, it's not helping much. A 3 foot putt should only take a few seconds. I think some people find putting boring, unimportant, or else they're trying to demonstrate how nonchalant  and easygoing they are. I never take gimmes when they're offered unless I'm inside a few inches and we are being pushed.

 

 

[iacas]

2 hours ago, Lihu said:

This thread reminds me of threads where most posters are saying that the putting average should be 29 to 32 putts per round for the average golfer when in reality it's more like 35 to 38.

Actually 29 to 32 is not a bad range, because average golfers miss a lot of greens so their first putts are often from inside of 15' after a chip shot.