The Gimmie

[sean_miller]

Playing the game you paid your greens fees to play isn't holding everyone up, IMO. I don't believe for a moment that holing out the short putts is a significant addition of time to a round. If you're playing slowly enough that everyone else is annoyed, it's not the 30 seconds on that putt that you should worry about, it's the 5 minutes you burned somewhere else on the hole.

How does a gimme take 30 seconds - unless you lagged it close from 60 feet away and you walk slowly? How hard is to accept a short gimme with a smile and return the favour when they lag one close.

[j_moo]

Playing the game you paid your greens fees to play isn't holding everyone up, IMO. I don't believe for a moment that holing out the short putts is a significant addition of time to a round. If you're playing slowly enough that everyone else is annoyed, it's not the 30 seconds on that putt that you should worry about, it's the 5 minutes you burned somewhere else on the hole.

If I'm to take the 2 footers seriously, I'll mark and go through the entire pre-shot routine again. Anything less is not giving it my best. Would you want to play with, or behind, someone who does that on every hole for 18 holes? I'm not sure I would.

I take time on all my shots, but I don't think I'm slow. I regularly play 3-3.5 hour rounds by myself with no one in front. It's just most people are anxious to get on to the next hole and don't quite have the patience on the greens, especially after they're done.

[zeg]

How does a gimme take 30 seconds - unless you lagged it close from 60 feet away and you walk slowly? How hard is to accept a short gimme with a smile and return the favour when they lag one close.

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)

If I'm to take the 2 footers seriously, I'll mark and go through the entire pre-shot routine again. Anything less is not giving it my best. Would you want to play with, or behind, someone who does that on every hole for 18 holes? I'm not sure I would.

Interesting. When watching the Masters over the weekend I couldn't help but notice that the pros took substantially longer to prep for long putts than the < 5-foot ones, and marking was generally just a matter of putting the mark down to line the ball up to their satisfaction. So if giving it your best requires a routine for a 2-foot putt that takes you as long as for a 30-footer, something's wrong. I have never had a problem with someone taking a reasonable amount of time to make a short putt. If they're looking at it from 10 angles and being a wanker about it, then I might feel differently, but putting out is an intrinsic part of the game.

I take time on all my shots, but I don't think I'm slow. I regularly play 3-3.5 hour rounds by myself with no one in front. It's just most people are anxious to get on to the next hole and don't quite have the patience on the greens, especially after they're done.

Well that's their problem, they're out of line. If you're playing a pace to make a 3-3.5 hour round on your own, you're fine, end of story. Golf is not a race.

[iacas]

If I'm to take the 2 footers seriously, I'll mark and go through the entire pre-shot routine again. Anything less is not giving it my best.

Oh come on. It's a two-footer. Man up, walk up, and tap it in. Mark it? Entire pre-shot? Walk behind it, glance at it, and hit the ball...

There's a difference between taking things "seriously" and exaggerating something to make a point.

Would you want to play with, or behind, someone who does that on every hole for 18 holes? I'm not sure I would.

Because people don't do that. They walk behind, glance at the line, and hit it in. Holes aren't cut in places where two-foot putts break much. Firm it in the back of the cup and move along.

I take time on all my shots, but I don't think I'm slow. I regularly play 3-3.5 hour rounds by myself with no one in front. It's just most people are anxious to get on to the next hole and don't quite have the patience on the greens, especially after they're done.

3-3.5 hours by yourself with nobody in front of you isn't fast. Not even if you're walking... I hope to goodness that's not in a cart: I can play 36 and get lunch in that time.

Also, guys, look: a gimme is fine if it's a putt you're not gonna miss. If you want to keep an accurate scorecard, remember that during handicap rounds you can pick up at any time and write down the score you "most likely" would have made. So give yourself 9 of 10 gimmes and give yourself 2 for the tenth one if you can't knock them in more than 90% of the time. What I'll do when someone gives me a gimme that's more than the length of a grip (a foot) is go to another part of the green, pick a blade of grass, and stroke a putt at it from a little more than the distance of the gimme. If the ball rolls over the blade of grass, it was good. Sometimes you can't be the jerk that insists on literally putting things out but that's more the social dynamic - the old guys want two-foot gimmes so they knock your ball away and you graciously say thank you, then go "make" a three-footer for practice and to prove to yourself that you'd have made it.

[Cussin hacker]

Sounds like a really fun guy. He does know this is a game, right?

Thats how my group does it. Within the putter grip. Speeds play up quite a bit. Hell your among friends having a friendly game.

[sonicblue]

The crux of this argument appears to be, being "insulted" if someone doesn't give you a gimme, like they don't think you're good enough to make it or something? If you're talking about something you truly expect someone to be conceded, that putt shouldn't take you ANY time to knock in, so I don't think a pace-of-play argument holds up here. If you miss a putt you think should have been conceded...well...then your opponent was right not to give it!

You should plan to play your ball tee to hole. As Erik said, if you're really in a rush, pick up and decide your "most likely" score, but I'm not sure most people would be really honest about that, or accurate. If you're keeping a card, put the ball in the hole. If it's match play, plan to put the ball in the hole and be grateful if the putt is conceded.

[sean_miller]

The crux of this argument appears to be, being "insulted" if someone doesn't give you a gimme, like they don't think you're good enough to make it or something?

Is this a merged topic? I thought the crux of the argument is people are offended that they didn't get to hole out their 2 footer. Even though this 5 second act can take as long as 30seconds !?!?!?!

[j_moo]

Oh come on. It's a two-footer. Man up, walk up, and tap it in. Mark it? Entire pre-shot? Walk behind it, glance at it, and hit the ball...

I was trying to point out that sometimes you can't hole out for the sake of the group and I usually don't for that reason. I would "most likely" make the 2 footer, but if I casually tap it, as many here have pointed out, it can be missed. It is also why I practice short putts and try to go through a routine (depending on difficulty of putt and if the first putt was short or not). As suggested by many pros, it's a mental thing and helps me to focus on the task instead of making the putt for the score.

Like your suggestion of the secondary putt, but is it the same? Shot a 78 a week ago and when I told my playing partner, he said "Don't count that because you didn't hole everything out." I holed out everything, except for 2 gimmies. Missed one two footer, which I would "most likely" make. And that's what he remembers and got me questioning whether I should count the round. It's a friendly round until I shoot a good score?

3-3.5 hours by yourself with nobody in front of you isn't fast. Not even if you're walking... I hope to goodness that's not in a cart: I can play 36 and get lunch in that time.

Certainly can play faster and have played 24 holes in 2.5 hours. 3-3.5 hours is a leisurely pace where I take my time on everything. Trying to point out that even though I take my time on shots, I play well under the acceptable time for a round.

[j_moo]

Is this a merged topic? I thought the crux of the argument is people are offended that they didn't get to hole out their 2 footer. Even though this 5 second act can take as long as 30seconds !?!?!?!

It's not the people who take 5 seconds to tap in the 2 footer. It's the people who go through the entire rountine, misses the putt, and the rountine again.

But, if they know they can miss the putt, can you blame them for taking the putt seriously?

[Elvisliveson]

It's not the people who take 5 seconds to tap in the 2 footer. It's the people who go through the entire rountine, misses the putt, and the rountine again.

I've been playing golf for 30 years, have never used a routine on two footers and can count on one hand the amount of them I have missed. People who simultaneously feel the need to go through an entire routine for a two footer, but would readily accept a gimmee for it if granted, need menta help, imo.

[iacas]

I've been playing golf for 30 years, have never used a routine on two footers and can count on one hand the amount of them I have missed. People who simultaneously feel the need to go through an entire routine for a two footer, but would readily accept a gimmee for it if granted, need menta help, imo.

Yup. If it takes you 30 seconds and you have to go through your full routine, you'd be an annoying guy to play with. People I play with don't need to that in tournaments let alone casual play.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I have no problems with 2 or 3 foot gimmies, provided that it isnt a down hill putt with break or anything. Even the worst of putters make those most of the time and it speeds up play.

[j_moo]

You guys have handicaps under 8. For us mere mortals, it's not as much of a sure thing. 4 years of high school golf and the coach would make us practice 2 footers with a routine all the time. It's not until I can consistently make those did start breaking 90.

Didn't Tiger miss a "tap in" on Sunday and people ripped him for the mental lapse? Someone did say something about golf being a game played between the few inches between our ears. It is absolutely mental. Why would Phil miss the short 3 footer eagle putt on 13 or Freddie, Arnold, Watson, just to name a few, struggle with "gimmies" all their careers?

I agree with you for the weekend golfer that if it's a "gimmie," just take it or tap in and move on. But wouldn't the length of the gimmie differ depending on the player's ability and situation? Isn't that why people don't give gimmies on birdies or better?

Ray Ramano had a 3 footer to break 80 and missed it. Should that have been a gimmie?

I envy those of you for whom a 2 footer is an easy tap in. I am neither as skilled nor as confident. And most people I've played with are not that skilled, whether they believe it or not, either.

[zeg]

I envy those of you for whom a 2 footer is an easy tap in. I am neither as skilled nor as confident. And most people I've played with are not that skilled, whether they believe it or not, either.

Your post gave great evidence why "gimmes" aren't. Obviously you're entitled to take some care when you line up, and Tiger's missed putt was an example of why you shouldn't try to "nonchalant" your putt in. Give it some respect. However, a lot of the pre-putt routine that you might use on a long putt just isn't applicable to a short one. There's just not that much to think about, and staring at the line longer isn't going to help the putt go in...

[j_moo]

Your post gave great evidence why "gimmes" aren't. Obviously you're entitled to take some care when you line up, and Tiger's missed putt was an example of why you shouldn't try to "nonchalant" your putt in. Give it some respect. However, a lot of the pre-putt routine that you might use on a long putt just isn't applicable to a short one. There's just not that much to think about, and staring at the line longer isn't going to help the putt go in...

Of course a 2 footer is different from a 30 footer. Like you said, there's not that much to read.

It is, however, much more mental, and pressured, because you and everyone watching you are expecting you to make the putt. Add on top what this putt could mean for your round, especially if you missed one earlier in the round or last round. Then you start thinking of all the ways to miss the putt. I will go out on a limb to say the better players here don't remember missing gimmies because they either don't miss because they're skilled or don't really remember missing because they're mentally tough. Kind of like Jack not remember all his losses but can remember crystal clear each putt and conversation during his wins. I go through a routine to forget and focus on the task of putting. I can just tap it in, and usually do so for the sake of pace, but would feel much more confortable if I went through my routine. Because I can't forget how many times I did and have seen 3 putts from gimmie range. I'm also blessed to have friends who would question my score because of these tap in misses.

[Phil McGleno]

Of course a 2 footer is different from a 30 footer. Like you said, there's not that much to read.

Wha wha wha. Be a man, step up, and knock it in, or be a girl and take the gimme. Either way get the heck out of the way. 30 seconds for a two-footer my ass. 18 holes and four people doing that adds only 36 minutes to a round, what's that matter, eh? And heaven forbid you knock your two-footer two feet by and we have to wait behind you to do it all again.

Step up and knock it in. Stop justifying your wasting time. If you can't just step up and knock it in go practice them until you can. Either way, get out of my way.

[iacas]

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

But anyway, j_moo, go practice. Again, two-footers don't break. You just firm it in the back of the cup and get on with your day. You don't have to line anything up - the hole and the ball are right there in your field of view. You're NOT playing Augusta National. Step up, hit it, and get out of there. You're a single digit handicap - and my 7-year-old can make these things. You're making a mountain out of 24 inches.

[MSDOGS1976]

I missed a 2 footer for birdie today. Chapped my a$$. I don't know what it is about these short putts, but I have very little confidence with them. I know I'm decelling with the stroke, but can't get out of it. Killing me!