I hate Gimmies

[pokerjoke]

I know some of you know I hate giving short putts im not talking 6" but at least a foot.
For me these can be missed.
I nearly missed one on Thursday for birdie in a 4bbb comp.
That extra little bit of pressure can make even the calmest player jittery.
Knocking in gimmie distances on a regular basis can put you in good stead when
the pressure putt is needed.
When we play bounce games we always play 50p birdies so I will only give tap ins.
I also know some people hate it when I don't give them their putts[hey Paul] but
I don't really care in fact I quite like the sound of a ball dropping.
By the way im not talking about bounce games with nothing on them even then I
tend to give the odd one

 

[MashieNiblick]

Should never be a problem being asked to putt out. If you think it should be a gimme then no worries about holing it. If you don't fancy it, or miss it, why should it be given. Simples!

Gimmes aren't gifts, just time savers.

Always interesting to see how close a ball has to be before they give it in the Ryder Cup.

 

[AmandaJR]

I wish we just had to putt out. Usual bone of contention in matchplay and some niggle in a foursomes k/o just this week. I decided to cut the opportunity for it with a "I'll just finish that off" before opponents could debate long and hard and then say "just mark it". Only time they quickly decided was when we were both a couple of feet away "shall we call it a half?" - me "no, I'm putting for the win actually" and rammed it in!

 

[Imurg]

We rarely play Gimmes.
In our bounce games you have to hole out - unless it's virtually hanging over the lip.
in a Comp you have to hole out - if you don't practice those 12-18 inches you won't have confidence when you have to hole them.
Another group always play Gimmes up to a couple of feet - they're the first I hear moaning how they missed a couple of short putts and ruined their card.....

 

[Joff]

There's a reason you're known as 'ching-ching' Tony!

Played a matchplay last night, giving them all over the shop!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Play gimmies during roll ups etc and matchplay and just general games with friends

Trust people in other groups to be sensible

Normally it's about a foot sometimes a couple feet

It's only a game afterall

 

[Oddsocks]

In our swindle nothing is dead until it's in the hole as there's money involved, but bounce games I work on a putter grip.

Tight maybe but as per the OP they can still be missed

 

[bozza]

I wish we just had to putt out. Usual bone of contention in matchplay and some niggle in a foursomes k/o just this week. I decided to cut the opportunity for it with a "I'll just finish that off" before opponents could debate long and hard and then say "just mark it". Only time they quickly decided was when we were both a couple of feet away "shall we call it a half?" - me "no, I'm putting for the win actually" and rammed it in!

Shouldn't you have marked it anyway or waited till it was conceded?

I know there's no penalty for playing out of turn but in matchplay it shouldn't really be done in my eyes.

 

[louise_a]

The thing that gets me is people who say are you giving me that? I find it happens in interclub games most. I tend to be intimidated into saying yes, when really I want them to putt out.

 

[davidy233]

Shouldn't you have marked it anyway or waited till it was conceded?

I know there's no penalty for playing out of turn but in matchplay it shouldn't really be done in my eyes.

If you played out of turn in a match against me and holed it I'd be requesting, as I can, that you replace it and wait until it's your turn - if you missed it I'd let it go.

 

[chrisd]

If you played out of turn in a match against me and holed it I'd be requesting, as I can, that you replace it and wait until it's your turn - if you missed it I'd let it go.

If I walk up to a putt and plan to knock it in I always ask the next to putt if I can finish it off, are you saying that you would say no?

 

[bladeplayer]

I wish we just had to putt out. Usual bone of contention in matchplay and some niggle in a foursomes k/o just this week. I decided to cut the opportunity for it with a "I'll just finish that off" before opponents could debate long and hard and then say "just mark it". Only time they quickly decided was when we were both a couple of feet away "shall we call it a half?" - me "no, I'm putting for the win actually" and rammed it in!

As a couple have said AFAIK in matchplay you dont have the option to finish out as per stroke play .. could cause a bigger bone of contention against the "wrong" opponents ..

 

[davidy233]

If I walk up to a putt and plan to knock it in I always ask the next to putt if I can finish it off, are you saying that you would say no?

In a match I would say no - never had to do it because tapping it in match play isn't the done thing, it's my decision if I'm giving you the putt - you aren't putting pressure on me to do so by suggesting "I'll just tap it in"

 

[bladeplayer]

If I walk up to a putt and plan to knock it in I always ask the next to putt if I can finish it off, are you saying that you would say no?

Key word here for me is ask Chris... if you asked me id say "yeah if you want" . some so called experienced matchplayers have tried to use it to gain a concession from me in the past .. must admit it worked early doors. not anymore ..

I love the look that passes between partners when one gives it and the other wasnt planing to

As per the OP .. any major comp you play in you will more often than not have to hole out so having a mindset of always holing out is no harm

 

[duncan mackie]

The thing that gets me is people who say are you giving me that? I find it happens in interclub games most. I tend to be intimidated into saying yes, when really I want them to putt out.

I really don't understand any of this at all.

1. you can only have gimmies in a matchplay situation - a gimmie in a stroke play event means the player hasn't holed out so is DQ'd so basically you aren't playing by the rules; which other ones are you choosing to ignore? That's really simple.

2. there are loads of ways to try and intimidate a player in a match; I do it every time I take a driver in senior matches! Asking for a putt isn't really one of them though. There are however many situations where a player might reasonably question whether the opponents seriously wish him to mark his 2" putt (they simply haven't got over the shock of you missing) or are fishing for a gimmie .... in the latter case it's absolutely standard not to give it; it's not rude, aggressive or even unfriendly and a pleasant " we will see it putted please is the appropriate response. In pairs events it definitely helps if you decide which one of you will deal with concessions - discussions both waste time and aren't really in the spirit of the game.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I remember watching Nicklaus gave that putt to Jacklin - that's the spirit the game should be played and a perfect example

Is the game really that serious for people ?

I would say I'm very generous when giving gimmies - I'm out there for enjoyment.

 

[bladeplayer]

I remember watching Nicklaus gave that putt to Jacklin - that's the spirit the game should be played and a perfect example

Is the game really that serious for people ?

I would say I'm very generous when giving gimmies - I'm out there for enjoyment.

Im out there for enjoyment aswell Phil , the incident you mention if i remember correctly was one of the more generous ones ala Garcia ..If your playing team golf or representing the club you have a duty to the rest of the team

Spirit of the game is good , no need to be a registered charity tho

 

[Junior]

The thing that gets me is people who say are you giving me that? I find it happens in interclub games most. I tend to be intimidated into saying yes, when really I want them to putt out.

If people have to ask it may means they dont want to putt it. If im asked i always make light of it and make them hole it ou. You would be surprised how many miss.

 

[Junior]

I remember watching Nicklaus gave that putt to Jacklin - that's the spirit the game should be played and a perfect example

Is the game really that serious for people ?

I would say I'm very generous when giving gimmies - I'm out there for enjoyment.

It was a grand jesture, but, it was to half the match and the ryder cup which the US still retained.

Gimmes are not serious, its the fun side to matchplay and is part of the psycology of the game. There is nothing wrong with asking or being asked to hole out. We have a few greens where if your on the wrong side of the hole, even a 2 ft putt can be tough to hole.

 

[pokerjoke]

I remember watching Nicklaus gave that putt to Jacklin - that's the spirit the game should be played and a perfect example

Is the game really that serious for people ?

I would say I'm very generous when giving gimmies - I'm out there for enjoyment.

Phil you can still be serious about golf and enjoy it at the same time.
I don't give gimmies purely because a foot putt can be missed,not very often I grant you.
I don't get how you think golf cant be enjoyed if your being serious.
Theres plenty of time for banter and enjoyment as your going around.
To me the golf is serious,not so serious I cant enjoy.