The Gimmie

[walk18]

Because I don't buy the logic behind the gimme. Either it's short enough that you can just tap it in, or it's long enough that it's actually relevant to your score. I'm all in favor of playing quickly, but I don't see that breaking the rules of the game should be an expected component of how you do that. (and the 30 seconds I'm talking about is the time to actually putt the ball, i.e., what you save by taking the gimme)

Great post, I agree 100%. I'm somewhat disturbed at the amount of people trying to justify gimmes. All that work to get to the hole only to stop and not finish, when in fact dropping the ball into the cup is the entire point of the game. It's astounding to me.

[j_moo]

Yes, Butch, leave it to you to put it the old codger way...

Again, you guys are obviously better golfers and putters so, I'm not expecting you to believe or empathize with my struggles over the 2 footer. While you're at it, please feel free to step on me some more for not being able to drive the ball 300 yards or hit the sweet spot every swing.

I do practice, and have since high school, and can make it most of the time, casually tap in 9 out of 10. The point is if I'm to count the round, I don't want to have to count the casual misses. So either I take it seriously or I take the gimmie to save time. Coach use to say "back of the cup," which is how I 3 putted from 2 feet, but he never said "just step up and tap it in."

[Lefty-Golfer]

what about the gamesmanship of the gimmie...you are playing a match, you have been giving 2 or even 3 footers all day and then on 17 a little down hill 2 footer and your opponent looks at you....and you say nothing. they then need to make a little putt for money, downhill, while pissed....LOL.

BTW I missed a 15" putt in our fall club event that ended up costing us 500.00 per man...it does happen.

[Ash1974]

Frankly I don't want to be given anything. If I can make the putt then I will and if I cant then I will miss it and we'll have to stay on the green for a few extra seconds.

Exactly my thoughts, when I started golf I took gimmies that were given, then when I played in comps I missed so many short puts that I decided never to take a gimmie again, my 3 ball agrees this every week that I don't want gimmies so they know not to hit my ball to me, I like to put out everything, as a result my putting has got way better.

Recently when I had a foot and half for a birdy on a par 3 after a near hole in one I felt a lot more comfortable knowing I make these all the time with the 1 foot forward tap in stance :)

[Leftygolfer]

If it takes you 30 seconds to through down a mark, line up the putt, make it from 3 feet you are slow. I do it all the time and it takes about 15 seconds.

[sean_miller]

If it takes you 30 seconds to through down a mark, line up the putt, make it from 3 feet you are slow. I do it all the time and it takes about 15 seconds.

I probably wouldn't give you a 3 foot putt unless 1.) you've been draining them all day, or 2.) it's for a three-putt triple bogey and the group behind us in the fairway has steam coming out their ears.

[j_moo]

I probably wouldn't give you a 3 foot putt unless 1.) you've been draining them all day, or 2.) it's for a three-putt triple bogey and the group behind us in the fairway has steam coming out their ears.

So you're saying, and I agree, the gimmie depends on:

1. the player's ability 2. the situation of the putt (I'm assuming you won't give a 2 foot birdie putt) 3. the pace of play What if these conflict, say a good putter with a birdie putt and the group behind is hitting into you? What's the priority? I'm getting to a place in my game where a stroke or two means breaking 80 or not, so I want to be able to write down the score correctly, with or without gimmies. I'll hole everything out if pace is not an issue. However, during a weekend round, I've found it easiest to take putts for the sake of pace because I practice them and will take my time to make them when pace permits. However, if you're my playing partner, would you have a problem with me writing down a 78 if I took or got a few putts?

[sean_miller]

So you're saying, and I agree, the gimmie depends on:

The gimmes I give depend on a few things, but the decision only takes a split second:

1.) proximity to the hole - 3 feet is a bit far, 2 feet is a possibility, 1 foot is a kick in and I'd probably even give you that one 2.) whether or not I know the person - I never give strangers putts (or candy) 3.) what the putt is for - birdie or eagle - no way, those must be earned and the gimme conversion rate for birdies is probably not as high. A par putt, if it's a kick in, sure why not. For a bogey, probably. Double bogey or higher, who really cares?!? 4.) our group's position relative to the group ahead (and behind) - if I get a gimme that I wanted to putt out, I should have hustled my arse to the hole and tapped it in - if we're losing ground and I stand there admiring my good lag, or debating whether to line it up or one-hand it, then I forfeit my "right" to tap the ball in. Get moving!

[Meddle]

C'mon guys... no way the 10 seconds it takes to tap in a gimmie holds up play, and if it takes more than 10 seconds to putt out, it's not a gimmie. In my experience, gimmies are almost always 2 footers that your buddy gives to you because you could miss it. You have to mark that and line it up, that's not a disservice to anyone, that's just golf.

[Leftygolfer]

I probably wouldn't give you a 3 foot putt unless 1.) you've been draining them all day, or 2.) it's for a three-putt triple bogey and the group behind us in the fairway has steam coming out their ears.

Umm... You have never seen me play. OK. You want to gamble?

[sean_miller]

Umm... You have never seen me play. OK. You want to gamble?

Oc course I've never seen you play, including putting, so why would I give you a 3-footer? After 3 or 4 holes I probably would though. Take a ruler and measure out 36 inches on your desk - that's not technically a tap in.

Regarding the gambling, it's moot since I don't gamble, but how accurate is your handicap? If it was straight up, we'd probably come out even(ish) for the day.

[j_moo]

The gimmes I give depend on a few things, but the decision only takes a split second:

Let's say we played a weekend round together and you gave me a few 1-2 footers for pars because a slow player, neither you nor I, in our group kept us behind, would you have a problem with my recording a round of 78 for my index?

[sean_miller]

Let's say we played a weekend round together and you gave me a few 1-2 footers for pars because a slow player, neither you nor I, in our group kept us behind, would you have a problem with my recording a round of 78 for my index?

Why would I care?

[j_moo]

Why would I care?

You may not, but apparently some do.

In the end, isn't that the point to this discussion? Is gimmie cheating or legitimate bending of the rules to fit the weekend golfer?

[sean_miller]

You may not, but apparently some do.

The point of this specific discussion is some people feel cheated if they don't get to hear their ball drop into the cup all 18 times. Other people think that's silly.

[Leftygolfer]

Oc course I've never seen you play, including putting, so why would I give you a 3-footer? After 3 or 4 holes I probably would though. Take a ruler and measure out 36 inches on your desk - that's not technically a tap in.

It is very accurate. I don't want gimmies. I wouldn't give a pro a 3 footer all day. They are misable for sure. I don't know who on here thinks there is a correlation between slow play and playing real golf. I played 9 two weeks ago walking when it was wide open in right at 1 hour 15 minutes putting out every putt and that included having to line up a number of second putts since I am admitally a horrid mid range putter.

[sean_miller]

It is very accurate. I don't want gimmies. I wouldn't give a pro a 3 footer all day. They are misable for sure. I don't know who on here thinks there is a correlation between slow play and playing real golf. I played 9 two weeks ago walking when it was wide open in right at 1 hour 15 minutes putting out every putt and that included having to line up a number of second putts since I am admitally a horrid mid range putter.

At an estimated 30 seconds per putt, this could mean as much as 9 minutes per round. While not a huge amount of time, multiply that by 4 players and it's 36 minutes. Perhaps this is the extreme, but it's certainly not insignificant.

[j_moo]

The point of this specific discussion is some people feel cheated if they don't get to hear their ball drop into the cup all 18 times. Other people think that's silly.

If it's simply a personal preference, then like you said, why would anyone care? Take 10 foot gimmies or ignore the entire round and just write in a score. You keep your score card with your own conscience.

But people advocating tapping it in tells me they want to hear everyone's ball drop into the cup all 18 times. That's no longer personal preference because they are keeping tabs on my score card, which is how scores are suppose to be kept. In which case, we have to agree on whether the score is correct.