How big is a gimme in your world?

IanG

IanG

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ok, imagine you're mid-round of a 'proper' matchplay tie not a bounce game. Match is still all-square and your opponent has left a flat straight putt. How close does he have to be before you concede it. 12 inches, 18 inches, 2 ft? Does that 'circle of love' contract as you get towards the business end of the tie? Does it depend on your opponent's ability ? Any other tactics you employ around gimmes?

Ian
 
Couple of feet, I guess.

I'll see in 1 foot if the game is nearing the end.

Hell, I'll give nothing on the last green. :)
 
In match play I use to like giving gimmes then every so often, when they were not expecting it. Tell them no put this one out. Surprising how many times they missed it, as they thought you knew something about the putt that they didn't.
 
I personally don't like gimmies in competition play as even the worlds best can miss what some club golfers class as gimmies. I was paired with 3 strangers in a stableford on the Brabazon but they where all freinds, on one of the early holes one of them tried to give his mate a gimmie from around 3/4 ft :ooo: I said your having a laugh ain't ya and they looked at me like I was a weirdo so I presume they would do it all the time in all forms of comp play but they certainly didn't get away with it on that day.

I do believe though that a hell of a lot of amateurs do give each other gimmies in all forms of competition play and it's not right, the aim of the game is to get the ball in the hole with as least amounts of strokes as possible and that doesn't include picking the ball up.

If I was in a matchplay though I would give you a putt of around 20CM :thup:
 
DAVEYBOY said:
I personally don't like gimmies in competition play as even the worlds best can miss what some club golfers class as gimmies. I was paired with 3 strangers in a stableford on the Brabazon but they where all freinds, on one of the early holes one of them tried to give his mate a gimmie from around 3/4 ft :ooo: I said your having a laugh ain't ya and they looked at me like I was a weirdo so I presume they would do it all the time in all forms of comp play but they certainly didn't get away with it on that day.

I do believe though that a hell of a lot of amateurs do give each other gimmies in all forms of competition play and it's not right, the aim of the game is to get the ball in the hole with as least amounts of strokes as possible and that doesn't include picking the ball up.

If I was in a matchplay though I would give you a putt of around 20CM :thup:
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I really hope they dont.
 
Generally I think in a friendly knock inside a putter grip is fair game but at least two of oyu have to agree.. sometimes to the annoyance of the person looking to avoid a tricky little putt. Thing is if you keep giving them, when it comes to proper play you are thinking "I dont normally have to hole these"
As for Matchplay mix it up... keep them guessing!!
A mate of mine played in a 4BBB and was out of the hole, his 14hcap partner got to the hole in 4 with a tap in 5, instead of holing out he picked it up "blob" Why did you do that my mate asked? His reply was Well I dont normally play in comps and my mates give them!!
 
I prefer not to play gimmies. half the fun is when someone misses a short putt and it costs a hole/half. I've seen all manner of tiddlers missed. nothing is certain!
 
Our swindle is putt out everything, no matter how short.......even when you use a putter grip as a gimme benchmark, it's surprising how many people think a putter handle is about 3 feet long :o

You also get inconsistent gimme putts especially on breaking or down hill putts.

The only way for me is putt out the lot.

In Matchplay, it depends on the situation in the game and how good a putter they are. I'd never concede anything to anyone with a claw grip as they must have been a crap putter to resort to something so hideous.......:rofl:
 
Depends very much on how there putter is going. If they have drained putt after putt my gimme range will go out to maybe 2-3 feet depending on the putt. If they have been missing short putts then I'll make them sink everything beyond a few inches.

Then there is always the tactical concession in pairs match play which could be any distance ;).
 
IanG said:
ok, imagine you're mid-round of a 'proper' matchplay tie not a bounce game. Match is still all-square and your opponent has left a flat straight putt. How close does he have to be before you concede it. 12 inches, 18 inches, 2 ft?

Ian
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In that context, 18"-2' are surely easily given if he can hold the right end of the putter ;) Anything less than 18" is just storing up payback against yourself at some time in the future :D
 
I like it when an opponent looks towards you as if to say "are you gonna give me that" If I get the look then I don't give it. If you need to ask then it's not as far as I'm concerned.
I prefer to play no gimmes but in a match I'd say about a foot.
However I wouldn't give me anything. About 18 months ago in a medal I missed a straight putt from about 4 inches.
 
Seems some are much less generous that I, I must be getting mellow in my old age. In the scenario of my OP I'd for sure give a 12" straight putt, maybe an 18" one but never a 2 ft one. On the other hand a 8" left to right breaking downhiller to win the match is never going to be conceded.

While I understand the idea that gimmies should not exist in a formal competition, I think they add an extra dimension to the whole matchplay experience which enhances the edgy fun we all enjoy.
 
Depends which side of the bed I got out of. Sometimes I'll give up to 2' early in a match, but on other occasions it'll have to be within 6". Once we're into the business end of the match, they get nowt.
 
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