No more 'Gimmies'

[djackson89]

With the help of my very horrible first tournament scoring, I've decided to putt everything on the golf course. I know for some that is always a given, but I'd often find myself just giving myself my 2-3 even 4 footers at times. PLaying partners would say "that's good just pick it up" and I was happy I didn't have to putt it!

For the last 5 weeks (roughly 14-15 rounds) I've been putting everything. 2 inches, 2 feet it doesn't matter, and it has been the best golfing decision I've ever made! Making the 2-3 footers to make par just builds so much confidence that I'm making a lot more of my 6-10 footers that I normally think, "just a two putt". That success has carried over even more and I'm making much higher percentage putts from everywhere. Before I went to this, I'd often have 3-4 3 Putts a round, and the last 3 rounds combined, I've only had 1.

I'm sure it's an obvious point for many of us, but I thought I'd point it out for some of the new people, or even people that use gimmies. It is a huge boost to make all those putts!

[The_Pharaoh]

I'm with you, you've got to hole everything. A 1 inch putt is worth the same as a 300 yard drive, and nobody has given me a 300 yard drive as yet!

Until about 2 years ago, I was a poor putter 4 feet and in. By not taking gimmies and practicing them under pressure, I've now become a very good putter from that distance. And you are right, it helps your long distance putting as you are no longer afraid to leave yourself a short putt.

A good way to make sure you hole everything is to play stroke play against your buddies not match play, and always mark your ball and give the putt the time and consideration it deserves.

[darkhunter139]

I agree I don't take gimmies ever! I want to see my par putt fall into the hole I don't care how close the putt is.  And I have missed 3 footers before, you never know when your going to miss it.

[DaSportsGuy]

When I first started I remember I used to take gimmies and mulligans all the time and never thought twice about it. Ever since I started golfing competitively I never realized how much higher you're scores are without mulligans and gimmies. Glad I got rid of that style of play after just one season of golf. Never looked back since.

[CuppedTin]

With the help of my very horrible first tournament scoring, I've decided to putt everything on the golf course. I know for some that is always a given, but I'd often find myself just giving myself my 2-3 even 4 footers at times. PLaying partners would say "that's good just pick it up" and I was happy I didn't have to putt it!

For the last 5 weeks (roughly 14-15 rounds) I've been putting everything. 2 inches, 2 feet it doesn't matter, and it has been the best golfing decision I've ever made! Making the 2-3 footers to make par just builds so much confidence that I'm making a lot more of my 6-10 footers that I normally think, "just a two putt". That success has carried over even more and I'm making much higher percentage putts from everywhere. Before I went to this, I'd often have 3-4 3 Putts a round, and the last 3 rounds combined, I've only had 1.

I'm sure it's an obvious point for many of us, but I thought I'd point it out for some of the new people, or even people that use gimmies. It is a huge boost to make all those putts!

"That's good, just pick it up"... I overheard JD say this many times at the Dancing Rabbit... Until the 16th hole where he made his opponent putt out a 2 footer that just so happened to be worth about 80k... Long story short he missed the putt! If you give yourself anything you are admitting defeat... IMO

[Tomboys]

IMO, there's no better sound than when the ball hits the bottom of the cup.  So, I don't want someone (or myself) denying me the satisfaction of hearing it.  For me, that sound signals a triumphant moment (par, birdie, eagle or heck, at my level, bogey can be good too) or it signals the end of my frustration / humiliation (double, triple or worse).  Either way, it's a sound that I worked hard for and I want to hear it.

[meenman]

You will greatly improve your game without *gimmies* - I used to play with a kid that counted everything within 6 feet as good - whether he made it in or not. This lead to a serious vanity cap and a golfer that couldnt make 4 foot putts in a tourney. To make matters worse, he would laugh at others that missed short putts as he counted his misses as good. Needless to say, we both have new golf groups now.

[GJBenn85]

The guy I play golf with is always giving me putts because I had the right line or it was "close enough."  I'll admit I will occasionally take them if I am having a bad day, but it generally irritates me a bit and I insist on holing the ball even if it is 2 inches from the hole and I count the final stroke.  My goal is to improve my game with actual results rather than fool myself into thinking I am improving while taking 5 "gimmies" during a round.

[Paradox]

My regulars(we've seen each other putt a millon times) will give putts on 2 footers but we all still putt them out and make them.  The only time we give a true gimmie is when one person is having a terrible, terrible hole and we just wait til they get close and call it good...I'm talking an 8, 9, or worse score.

[GaijinGolfer]

I personally dont like when people give me gimmie putts.  I like being able to hole-out and hear the ball rattle around the cup.  Unless Im having a REALLY bad putting round, things just seem unfinished if I dont hole-out.

Im all for gimmie putts if there is a group pushing you but if not, theres no reason.

[Stretch]

I have mixed feelings about this. Yes, everybody really should putt out all the time. No, I don't really want to stand in the fairway watching each of the four ball in front of me painstakingly plumb bob each of their two footers all the way round.

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by Stretch

I have mixed feelings about this. Yes, everybody really should putt out all the time. No, I don't really want to stand in the fairway watching each of the four ball in front of me painstakingly plumb bob each of their two footers all the way round.

+1..nothing drives me crazier than a 4some who mark every putt, wait til its their turn before they do anything, and then they all STAND RIGHT AROUND THE HOLE putting cleat marks everywhere and making it bumpy for everyone behind them.

[carpediem4300]

could of shaved 10 shots last night using gimmes, even playing solo i decided not to, felt better for being honest, crappy for being so bad a tputting :P

[right handed phil mickelson]

The rule for us is, if you're away, and you putt and don't make it, and the ball isn't really intruding too much on someone's line, just go up and finish it. Saves a good 10 minutes a round; every little bit helps.

[LankyLefty]

I dont know about you all, but I just like watching the ball go in the hole from any distance :)

[Shorty]

There are gimmes in match play. Not stroke play. In social play, a gimme is usually taken because the player thinks he might miss it. It rarely saves time, is not in the spirit of the game, and is the reason why so many casual golfers think they play off 12 but are closer to 27. Anyone who takes gimmes and submits scores for a handicap is a cheat.

[rustyredcab]

I stood in the fairway and watched four guys all putting and putting. In the end, three of them stood around the hole and each putted and pulled the ball out of the hole without moving their feet. Just bent down from where they were standing when they hit the putt. That means all three were within 10 inches from the hole at the most. This does take time. If they were in some sort of tournament, then fine (even so, just finish faster).

We play match-play. Always give putts inside a foot. You telling me that if a guy hits it to within six inches out of a bunker that it does not save time to concede that putt?

[McGolf-Doggie]

Originally Posted by djackson89

With the help of my very horrible first tournament scoring, I've decided to putt everything on the golf course. I know for some that is always a given, but I'd often find myself just giving myself my 2-3 even 4 footers at times. PLaying partners would say "that's good just pick it up" and I was happy I didn't have to putt it!

For the last 5 weeks (roughly 14-15 rounds) I've been putting everything. 2 inches, 2 feet it doesn't matter, and it has been the best golfing decision I've ever made! Making the 2-3 footers to make par just builds so much confidence that I'm making a lot more of my 6-10 footers that I normally think, "just a two putt". That success has carried over even more and I'm making much higher percentage putts from everywhere. Before I went to this, I'd often have 3-4 3 Putts a round, and the last 3 rounds combined, I've only had 1.

I'm sure it's an obvious point for many of us, but I thought I'd point it out for some of the new people, or even people that use gimmies. It is a huge boost to make all those putts!

I still consider myself "new" after 5 years, and unless there's some major rush or a backup (where a gimme may be the courteous thing to do) I'll putt everything I can.