robinthehood
Hacker
Yep same here
First tee matchplay saying - Wont be giving gimmees
- Thread starter Dasit
- Start date
Yep same here
IanM
Journeyman Pro
- Joined
- May 18, 2009
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- Monmouthshire, UK via Guildford!
Don't overthink this, just be reasonable... do you really expect someone to tap it from a few inches? But it's nice to make someone hole a shortish that they are silently praying you'll give them!
But Sam is also right. Someone says that on the first tee, I know exactly where I stand!
But Sam is also right. Someone says that on the first tee, I know exactly where I stand!
User20204
Well-known member
Britishshooting
Club Champion
I played a bloke who didn't say this outright but it was definitely his preference to see me hole everything.
Not a problem it's at each individuals discretion however I kept giving him anything up to 3 footers throughout the round (he still finished them off but under no pressure), get to the 17th he had a 3-4 foot put slightly downhill to half the hole and take it to the 18th. He missed and lost 2&1.
If you don't want to get into the strategy of it that's fine, but it doesn't mean your opponent won't.
Not a problem it's at each individuals discretion however I kept giving him anything up to 3 footers throughout the round (he still finished them off but under no pressure), get to the 17th he had a 3-4 foot put slightly downhill to half the hole and take it to the 18th. He missed and lost 2&1.
If you don't want to get into the strategy of it that's fine, but it doesn't mean your opponent won't.
TheJezster
Tour Rookie
The other side to this is that I just wouldnt expect to miss those at all, so would just casually ask if it's good, expecting it to be given. If not, no big deal, but i'd pop it in the hole and walk to the next tee
TreeSeeker
Assistant Pro
If you aren't going to give any putts I think its fair to say it at the start. I would rather know upfront than think the guy is calling out my awful putting (noone should EVER give me a putt... ever, under any circumstance)
Its a friendly game though, i'm not going to allow someone being tight on my putts to stop me giving them theirs. I think its against the spirit of the game to refuse any putts, but if that 1 hole out of 20 or 30 where they miss a gimme is worth it, go for it.
Its a friendly game though, i'm not going to allow someone being tight on my putts to stop me giving them theirs. I think its against the spirit of the game to refuse any putts, but if that 1 hole out of 20 or 30 where they miss a gimme is worth it, go for it.
User20204
Well-known member
I've always been of the mindset that if they are short enough to be given then they are short enough to hole out.
We had a guy, has left now and moved away, He was mighty sure of himself and used to say all sorts that made him look a Tit. He got though to the finals of the handicap one year and said something similar to his oppo, who was a good 5 shots lower than him and a pretty good putter to boot on a couple of holes he was offered a half from 2 ft putt but refused each time and missed them each time, got well a truly beaten and looked like a tit
Dasit
Tour Rookie
Surely to take a half, you take it if you are winning or even, but refuse it if you are losing.
To take it to an extreme, if you are losing by 1 on the last, and the guy says want the half...you always say no as that guarantees a loss.
The whole of matchplay seems to be taking advantage of naive people.
Other examples of people who know the rules inside out and use to their advantage.
Taking a dubious, but could be argued fair, drop is perfectly fine... in situations I would never dream of taking a drop
woofers
Medal Winner
Depends on the length of putt.
It seems to me that the length of expected 'gimmees' has increased over the years, my benchmark starts with the putter grip, then depends on any break for putts up to 2 foot. After that I'd probably like to see them in.
Also it depends on the state of the match.
I have a pal who has a rule that he will never, under any circumstances, give a putt for a win.
It seems to me that the length of expected 'gimmees' has increased over the years, my benchmark starts with the putter grip, then depends on any break for putts up to 2 foot. After that I'd probably like to see them in.
Also it depends on the state of the match.
I have a pal who has a rule that he will never, under any circumstances, give a putt for a win.
Sports_Fanatic
Assistant Pro
I read that as the opponent was already down so the guy had a put for a half (i.e. couldn't do any better) which was conceded but he refused, missed and ended up losing both times. so instead of A/S on those 2 holes, he was 2 down when he didn't need to be.
I'm not playing for the Ryder Cup, I'm quite generous in gimmies as I like a game to flow and if I play well I hope to win anyway. Prefer it to be on my play than someone missing a 2 footer on the last.
D
Deleted member 1147
Guest
One problem with that attitude is, you'll get yourself a bad reputation in the club
You just have to be sensible with gimmies. I would gladly give a 2 footer which is flat, up hill or slightly turning on way of the other. But you have to be more circumspect with others, ie a downhill left to righter, of the same distance.
You just have to be sensible with gimmies. I would gladly give a 2 footer which is flat, up hill or slightly turning on way of the other. But you have to be more circumspect with others, ie a downhill left to righter, of the same distance.
TreeSeeker
Assistant Pro
Might be wrong on the rules here but i did try to read the main ones before I started playing matches. I don't think you can refuse a conceded putt, i.e. if your opp gives you the hole you can't say no, its yours. I figure that the opp must have been still in play, in which case the "winning / losing" point remains valid.
They were all square, first time was the 5th, thing is his oppo never misses a putt esp from 5 ft.
I don't thing anyone would be taking advantage of anyone just because they were inexperienced, as DM says play the game to your best ability and enjoy it. by all means don't give a nasty little downhill 2 footer if its for a half, but making someone putt from 6 inches or the like is simply unsportsman like
r0wly86
Head Pro
I think it's a bit silly to go in with the attitude of never giving any putts.
For example if you are both on the green in 2, yours is 40 foot away and your oppo is literally an inch from the hole, you miss your putt, what is the point in you putting again, and then making them hole out.
Obviously you don't have to give putts that are a 1 foot or more, but to make someone putt out 3" putts when you can just move on to the next is daft to me
For example if you are both on the green in 2, yours is 40 foot away and your oppo is literally an inch from the hole, you miss your putt, what is the point in you putting again, and then making them hole out.
Obviously you don't have to give putts that are a 1 foot or more, but to make someone putt out 3" putts when you can just move on to the next is daft to me
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
Had that in a singles final. Didn't bother me in the slightest as I was quite happy that I could match or beat most people in the club with a putter in hand. I holed mine out as requested & conceded putts to him where I normally would. Didn't take long before the concessions were being returned and the match was played in a very good spirit. He did apologise for refusing to concede the 2 footer that would have given me the match; having holed it I assured him that if I were in his position I would have done exactly the same thing. It also gave me the opportunity to hole the winning putt which is a nice feeling in a final. I suspect that he had been advised by mates within the club to do it as a tactic to try and unsettle me because it was very out of character for him.
As others have said, you will come across as a door handle if you do it, and you better be a door handle that can putt better than your opponent if it's a tactic you want to use; otherwise you might find it a tactic that backfires spectacularly.
Kellfire
Blackballed
I'd never say it but I would try to read the opponent through the game and if I thought he was on edge or angry, that's when I wouldn't concede a short putt.
I have one friend who gets furious about being made to make anything inside about two foot. So you can bet he's being asked every time in a competitive round because I know it'll have an effect on his composure. He's also a club thrower.
I have one friend who gets furious about being made to make anything inside about two foot. So you can bet he's being asked every time in a competitive round because I know it'll have an effect on his composure. He's also a club thrower.
D
Deleted member 1418
Guest
Dasit - lot's of good examples and advice on here.
But at the end of the day everyone will adopt a different approach to matchplay - even your opponent will see things differently to you.
Just go out with the attitude that the nature of the format means you will concede some putts to your opponent and vice versa.
Enjoy the game; enjoy the competitive element of it; play it in the right spirit; and if you can shake hands with your opponent at the end and, win or lose, have a beer after then you can't ask for much more than that!
But at the end of the day everyone will adopt a different approach to matchplay - even your opponent will see things differently to you.
Just go out with the attitude that the nature of the format means you will concede some putts to your opponent and vice versa.
Enjoy the game; enjoy the competitive element of it; play it in the right spirit; and if you can shake hands with your opponent at the end and, win or lose, have a beer after then you can't ask for much more than that!
Wolf
Well-known member
If someone said this on the 1st tee to me I'd definitely be thinking they're a door handle. But I'd still concede putts to them of varying lengths then other times I'd not say a word and expect them to carry on. Playing someine like this would certainly bring more into it in way of how I approach their gimmes and shots.
Any normal match I'd take it as it comes and concede most short ones then expect others to be made if I needed them to have a bit of pressure on them.
Any normal match I'd take it as it comes and concede most short ones then expect others to be made if I needed them to have a bit of pressure on them.
Coffey
Challenge Tour Pro
Someone saying that on the first tee would make me think they are a door handle.
I wouldn't let it phase me though as if it is a gimme, I should really hole it anyway and if I miss it, its my fault.
I once played a guy and I was 1 up playing the last. He was in for a 5 and I had a putt for a 4. Missed it and it was about 1 inch away from the cup. He made me putt it out just in case I missed it. Obviously I holed it and all I was thinking is what a door handle and just seemed a bit silly way to end a friendly game.
I wouldn't let it phase me though as if it is a gimme, I should really hole it anyway and if I miss it, its my fault.
I once played a guy and I was 1 up playing the last. He was in for a 5 and I had a putt for a 4. Missed it and it was about 1 inch away from the cup. He made me putt it out just in case I missed it. Obviously I holed it and all I was thinking is what a door handle and just seemed a bit silly way to end a friendly game.
