is it acceptable to ask for a putt to be given in matchplay?

MikeH

MikeH

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Esteemed members of the forum...
can I ask for your opinions on whether or not is is ever acceptable to ask for a putt to be given in matchplay
 
I personally would never ask, nor would I expect to be asked. After all it is up to you to decide if your opponent should putt out. I think it is a poor show if you ask for a putt to be given
Asking for a putt to be given almost says to your opponent 'I don't fancy this' - I know what my response would be!
 
Certainly acceptable to ask, especially if it's stone dead and your opponent isn't paying attention. Its always good to look your opponents way before you mark the ball, just to see if he's going to concede on anything longer.


Chris
 
If I was playing with a stranger I would putt out all the time, unless he gives me the putt.

If with friends I would look for a nod and if it was stone dead and he didnt give me it, I would explain that this would be reciprocated later ;-)
 
I'd never ask for a putt to be given, but I always do as Chris suggests and look when marking.

Someone told me never to give a putt that I wouldn't feel comfortable casually tapping in myself. It's proved to be very useful!

One thing I do "offer" is a half. Recently, an opponent and I were both in a bunker for 5, and I for some reason, I just didn't fancy the shot (both fairly similar and not difficult). Offered the half and he bit my hand off to accept.
 
A look to see if you're being given it = fine.

Verbally asking for a gimme = equal not fine, and as others have said I would then not give it as the player obviously doesn't fancy it.

Not a big deal or poor etiquette though, which is what I presume the question is intended to frame?
 
Never. If your opponent does not concede your putt you must putt it.

He might not concede a putt for any of these reasons

1. He's not paying attention
2. He doesn't realise how short the putt is
3. He might be a miserable git
4. He isn't aware that making someone putt in from 2 inches is just not cricket.
5. He thinks you might miss it.

Lots of other reasons probably exist but in the end none matter: if a putt is not conceded, you need to hole it.

Asking for a putt to be conceded is not something I would ever do.
 
I always walk up to my ball with the intention to mark it.If they say it's good whilst doing so fine I never usualy bother looking at them.
 
Hahahahaha.

Ask away, I'll try not to break the silence with a chuckle.

I'd never ask and I've spent plenty of time on 1 footers in my time. I mean if its not given then I have to look from all four sides at least 2 times.
 
Esteemed members of the forum...
can I ask for your opinions on whether or not is is ever acceptable to ask for a putt to be given in matchplay
Click to expand...
had a club match last sat we both had near identical putts for half . my opponent askd me "give give" meaning we both pick up so i agreed ,, it was sensible if you ask me , years ago in a society match i asked the same & the reply i got was a rude "no dont be stupid" so i have never asked again.. nor will i
 
I think a look or a "is that ok?" enquiry is acceptable, however I personally prefer to wait for my opponent to offer the concession out of common courtesy and respect. If they don't then I am perfectly happy to putt out - not such a big deal for me.

This reminds me of a Seve story where he was happily conceding 2 - 3 footers to his opponent and acting like he wouldn't dream of insulting him by making him putt out from such a short distance. Then when their match was at a late and crucial stage, his opponent went to pick-up another one and the great man said something along the lines of "No, please continue and finish"! Of course his opponent missed and that was effectively the match in the bag! That to me is the art of a true matchplayer!!!
 
This reminded me of a story a few years back.

I was playing a society knockout matchplay at my own course. I was giving a shot on stroke index 1 and was in the greenside bunker, a difficult lie and the pin cut about 5ft from the bunker. I hit a stonker, up in the air and landed like a butterfly with a hint of check (most unusal with my lack of prowess in bunkers back then). The ball stopped 8" from the cup at most. My opponent said, and I quote " Chris, thats one of the finest bunkers shots I've ever seen" and i said " thanks very much, will I need my putter?" - the reply " yes I would think so" and he made me put it for par. It wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't already played at least 7




Chris
 
Never ask for a gimme but regularly suggest "good-good" especially if I don't fancy my tiddler.

If you aren't given one that you think you should be then there are a few things you can try in a jokey sarcastic way:

Say "is that okay" as you're walking in to mark it. Puts them on the spot if they are unsure.

If they still want to see it take a bit longer replacing it, have an extra good look from both sides, if it's pairs - call your partner in to have a look as there must be some break in it otherwise it would have been given surely!?

They might get bored of the wait and say pick it up!

I bloody love match play!!!
 
I will always have a look at my opponent when marking the ball to see if the putt is conceded but would never actually ask the question. If you ask the question then it implies to me that you do not fancy the putt so I am going to want to see it in.
 
I've tried asking while on the tee - never got very far with that one though :D

I think you can ask once in the entire round if you feel you can make it easily and there is no sign of it being given. But to asked repeatedly is poor form.
 
Esteemed Editor of the forum,
If someone didn't give me an obvious putt, you should have seen the lengths I went to before I finally holed it :)

I was on a 3rd sudden death hole against this guy once who had 1 OOB and had just chipped on to 3 ft for 5. I'm sitting pretty no more than 10 ft away on a flat green in 2.
I picked up his ball and gave it to him expecting him to shake hands. Nothing.
I must have remarked it 3 times before I finally holed it for a 3. Knob :mad:
 
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