How do you deal with the 'Gimme' players?

[flopster]

So you never play a round for any reason except handicap or competition?  My buddies would be a bit upset if I did that.  Equitable Stroke Control is based on course handicap, not index, and mine has been in the 10-19 range for all of the time I've carried one.  Since the last revamping of the USGA handicap system, that put me in the category of returning a maximum of 7 on any hole.  Since it's not unheard of for me or most of my friends to make worse than a double on a par 5, picking up could affect any wager that we had in place.  Usually by the time I reach my ESC on any other hole, I'm out of the running anyway, so that wouldn't matter, aside from the feeling that I'm reinforcing a bad habit by picking up.  I've seen players bat a ball away from the hole in a competition out of habit before they realize what they have done.  That costs an additional stroke as long as you replace the ball and finish out.  It sucks to take a penalty stroke on a 6" putt.

If I was a slow player, or if my group had fallen off the pace, I would look at it differently, but that is rarely the case.  We are usually the ones waiting for the target area to clear.

This is the ESC chart from the USGA Handicap Manual:

I do, I was just thinking of what I do by myself but if it's a game with something on it or were playing teams then of course.

[Lefty-Golfer]

I play with my boss in the morning usually.. So, when he tells me you can have that.. I just take it :)

I will usually give him anything that is close as well especially if i is for par or bogy..  I usually don't give him birdie's because I know he wants to putt those out..

We also don't bet, so it's all about sportsmanship!  Oh, and if I was keeping score I will gladly record the puts he gave me without feeling guilty about it either...

I mean gimmys in general probably only happen a couple holes a round right?  so it can't be that bad for everyone!

Just my opinion!

don't let common logic enter this conversation - i can't recall the last time i played a stroke play match - at every club i have been at the game is match play and putts are either given or not given...the golfer has nothing to say about it.

bottom line is if you are out of the hole pick up - in my opinion.

[MS256]

One of the choose up money games I play in always played "inside the leather" for years. After some eyebrow raising gimmies, even among teammates, they decided to start putting everything out (had to be done).

That game starts at 8:00 o'clock in the morning and there was always a carry in dinner at 12:00 o'clock and all of the teams were always done. Now that everything has to be putted out it's impossible for the dinner to start until after 12:30 (and these are all fairly decent players).

Doesn't matter at all to me how people play but it's not accurate to say that eliminating gimmies doesn't slow down play.

In casual rounds around here how often everybody putts out and how often somebody is going to rake the ball back to you depends on how crowded the course is and how badly you played the hole. Nobody is going to wait for you to tap in for your 8 with people waiting to hit. They all care much more about getting the Hell out of the way than they do about your snowman and if you don't like it, tough luck.

[bplewis24]

Doesn't matter at all to me how people play but it's not accurate to say that eliminating gimmies doesn't slow down play.

I'm not sure of the context of the "doesn't slow down play argument." I don't know if I ever made that argument or not. But it's important to understand the distinction between a casual round and the money round you were describing. Sometimes I putt stuff out without marking, without taking my time even though somebody may call it "good." Occasionally I miss it. If I were playing in a tournament or for money, there's a chance I'd mark that putt. Of course that's going to take longer than calling it "good," but in a money or tournament round, you typically won't have that option anyway. Anyway, I concede that putting everything out can potentially take longer, but it generally doesn't for me. If it makes things significantly longer for a round, my guess is it has more to do with people taking too long to re-mark and re-study 3-5 foot putts than they need to.

[GolfGuy123]

If it's a casual round I'll pick up once I reach double since I can't post anything more than that anyways.

What if you take a gimmie for par or bogey? Will you still record par or bogey on that hole for handicap purpose?

[bplewis24]

What if you take a gimmie for par or bogey? Will you still record par or bogey on that hole for handicap purpose?

Theoretically, you should.  If you take the gimme for par, and then record bogey for handicap...well then at that point we've entered another topic.  We'd have to move the discussion to the sandbagging thread.

[GolfGuy123]

Theoretically, you should.  If you take the gimme for par, and then record bogey for handicap...well then at that point we've entered another topic.  We'd have to move the discussion to the sandbagging thread.

Ha, makes sense...It would just seem crazy to me to NOT record your score as if you would have made the gimmie put...but if you are strictly going by USGA rules etc. they have a specific formula (not a complex one) to record your score on unfinished holes or holes not played by the rules of golf...(I think it is something simple like, par + whatever your handicap on that hole is)....But if I have a 1 footer for for par on a handicap hole for me (lets just say the 6th hardest hole on the course) and someone kicks it back to me, I would really hate to record bogey for handicap purposes!

I personally never understood sandbagging in golf. I would much rather have a true representation of how I play (and  have that number be lower / more respectable) then walk around with a fake higher handicap so I have an easier time winning tournaments / matches. Im not naive, I understand that there is prizes and or money on the line most times but...I just dont see why someone would want to portray themselves as a poorer golfer to win a prize. IMO at least.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Theoretically, you should.  If you take the gimme for par, and then record bogey for handicap...well then at that point we've entered another topic.  We'd have to move the discussion to the sandbagging thread.

Ha, makes sense...It would just seem crazy to me to NOT record your score as if you would have made the gimmie put...but if you are strictly going by USGA rules etc. they have a specific formula (not a complex one) to record your score on unfinished holes or holes not played by the rules of golf...(I think it is something simple like, par + whatever your handicap on that hole is)....But if I have a 1 footer for for par on a handicap hole for me (lets just say the 6th hardest hole on the course) and someone kicks it back to me, I would really hate to record bogey for handicap purposes!

I personally never understood sandbagging in golf. I would much rather have a true representation of how I play (and  have that number be lower / more respectable) then walk around with a fake higher handicap so I have an easier time winning tournaments / matches. Im not naive, I understand that there is prizes and or money on the line most times but...I just dont see why someone would want to portray themselves as a poorer golfer to win a prize. IMO at least.

For unfinished holes, the process is to score what you would most likely have made if you had finished the hole.  What you stated is the method for scoring unplayed holes.

[bplewis24]

Ha, makes sense...It would just seem crazy to me to NOT record your score as if you would have made the gimmie put...but if you are strictly going by USGA rules etc. they have a specific formula (not a complex one) to record your score on unfinished holes or holes not played by the rules of golf...(I think it is something simple like, par + whatever your handicap on that hole is)...

Is it possible you're referring to ESC?  That's mostly not applicable for gimme situations.  It's about blow-up holes affecting your handicap.  Unless I'm mis-interpreting your answer?

[GolfGuy123]

For unfinished holes, the process is to score what you would most likely have made if you had finished the hole.  What you stated is the method for scoring unplayed holes.

Gotcha.

Is it possible you're referring to ESC?  That's mostly not applicable for gimme situations.  It's about blow-up holes affecting your handicap.  Unless I'm mis-interpreting your answer?

Im aware of ESC but was more just referring to the idea that if...I have a one foot putt for par or bogey and someone kicks it back to me, can I record par or bogey for handicap (acting as if I would have made it) ?

In other words - since that hole was not played by the rules of golf, what am I suppose to record? Do you still feel its keeping the integrity of your handicap to accept a gimmie putt and record score as if you made it Hope that clarifies my question because I would really like peoples opinion on this ;)

[flopster]

Gotcha.

Im aware of ESC but was more just referring to the idea that if...I have a one foot putt for par or bogey and someone kicks it back to me, can I record par or bogey for handicap (acting as if I would have made it) ?

In other words - since that hole was not played by the rules of golf, what am I suppose to record? Do you still feel its keeping the integrity of your handicap to accept a gimmie putt and record score as if you made it Hope that clarifies my question because I would really like peoples opinion on this ;)

I think since making the putt is the most likely outcome you score it that way.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GolfGuy123

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

For unfinished holes, the process is to score what you would most likely have made if you had finished the hole.  What you stated is the method for scoring unplayed holes.

Gotcha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Is it possible you're referring to ESC?  That's mostly not applicable for gimme situations.  It's about blow-up holes affecting your handicap.  Unless I'm mis-interpreting your answer?

Im aware of ESC but was more just referring to the idea that if...I have a one foot putt for par or bogey and someone kicks it back to me, can I record par or bogey for handicap (acting as if I would have made it) ?

In other words - since that hole was not played by the rules of golf, what am I suppose to record? Do you still feel its keeping the integrity of your handicap to accept a gimmie putt and record score as if you made it Hope that clarifies my question because I would really like peoples opinion on this ;)

This quote from the Handicap Manual should answer your question.  Holes not played under the principles of the Rules of Golf are supposed to be treated as unplayed (par plus any handicap strokes the player is entitled to), but that should be amended if most of the hole is played before the player deviates from the rules.  In that case it is treated as unfinished and the most likely score is estimated.

Quote:

a. Scores To Post

To post a 9-hole score, the player must play 7 to 12 holes, and at least 7 holes must be played in accordance with the principles of the Rules of Golf.  To post an 18-hole score, the player must play at least 13 holes in accordance with the principles of the Rules of Golf.

[phan52]

Putt 'em all, unless you've reached your ESC.

[Billy Z]

That's why the Good Lord gave us a mouth, to communicate. No sarcasm meant, but just plain tell them kindly! I play golf somewhat seriously, but still concede straight in putts from a 20" or so.

[ghalfaire]

For me it is a "what do I care what others do as long as there isn't a bet?".  I play with a group that does the "in the leather" rule (I know it isn't a rule).  But there are some players that prefer to putt out all the holes and no one objects and it is never a problem.  So that's it for me.  No money on the line you can take a 20 footer for all I care but I want to putt out so don't touch my ball without my express permission.  I have never had anyone object to this and sometimes when ask "is that good?", I might say yes.