Should putting only count for 1/2 shot?

[Deleted member 25172]

And Mulligans! But only 2-3 per round max. Let's discuss.

 

[IanM]

I think a shot from a bad lie should only count as half. I think you can hit again if the wind blows.

Actually, I don't.

I also think the original notion is bonkers, but each to their own.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

If we are going to give 2 foot gimmees can I put in a request for dropping my tee shot 200yds up the middle of the fairway on narrow, lengthy, uphill holes? If bad putters can get a freebie.............

 

[Slab]

If I think about it, I actually reckon it would be better if gimmes were never invented, then you wouldn't have any debate about what's a gimme and what isn't it. The object is to put it in the hole after all. I'm not really sure why they invented it as a concept. You don't have it in any other sport. Oh we'll call this penalty a goal as you would have scored anyway. Free throw in basketball? Nah just give them the points, he wouldn't miss from there. Batting team only needs 3 runs from the last over to win? Let's just call it a day and give it to them.

it probably evolved from the original match-play format with gentlemen conceding short putts to their opponents (cos it would be embarrassing to ask them to putt out a tap in) then transferred itself to social stroke-play golf

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Interesting point you make here. Not sure if you listen to the Rick Shiels Podcast but on a recent episode, when discussing the new WHS system it sounds as if, in the USA at least, their culture is to give gimmies, so even in comps they can do this! I was sat listening thinking, why not make that global? If the new system is supposed to be a "leveller" surely we should start allowing the classic bin lid gimmie even in stroke play. Food for thought anyway!

If you can't hole a gimme length putt then why should it be conceded to you?

 

[Slab]

The 0.5 isn't really the wacky part, just not applied to an actual stroke (i can well imagine certain rule breaches being a 0.5 penalty instead of a full stroke)

 

[golfbluecustard]

If we are going to give 2 foot gimmees can I put in a request for dropping my tee shot 200yds up the middle of the fairway on narrow, lengthy, uphill holes? If bad putters can get a freebie.............

Or let's just agree the score in advance...... For those of us who can't drive, play irons or putt

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Or let's just agree the score in advance...... For those of us who can't drive, play irons or putt

There may be some who do that already

I'm surprised that the comment came from Pete Cowen unless it was said with a twinkle in his eye and that did not come across on the media platform it was on. Perhaps he was feeling mischievous and wanted to get some activity going on social media ?

 

[sunshine]

you mean like a penalty try in rugby for eg

Er no, that's completely different.

 

[patricks148]

Nope.

 

[jim8flog]

Some people's driver doesn't get past 200... .

I played with a guy like that yesterday on a par 5 3 really good putts of around 150-200 yards and nearly holed the 4th for a birdie.

 

[golfbluecustard]

I played with a guy like that yesterday on a par 5 3 really good putts of around 150-200 yards and nearly holed the 4th for a birdie.

Wasn't a gimme then ???

 

[Cherry13]

Wasn’t this an idea/quote attributed to Ben Hogan?

 

[MrC]

Putting is the easiest thing to learn too. You don't need to be athletic or have 100+ mph club head speed to be a great putter.

And the easiest and cheapest to practice

 

[BarryScott]

Putts to count as 2 shots, drives as 0.75 shots, chips 1.5, irons 3 and bunker shots 0.25. Pros no longer qualify via the PGA but through the Institute/Faculty of Actuaries

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Its also the last thing most higher handicap players practise. Chipping and putting, there is nothing stopping any of us being great at it other than practising correctly.

And therein is the rub. How many simply go to the putting green and tee the ball up on the fluffiest lie and chip off that or putt three balls down on the putting green and putt all three to the same hole and think it's constructive practice. For me, finding the barest lie or buried in the thickest clover are the shots I love playing and working on and seeing what I can do to holes at different distances. Similarly with putting, I'll regularly use a mirror to check set up, always use my Visio mat and gates to work on the stroke and ensuring I am starting on line and will set up putts at 2-5 foot in a circle around a hole. I'll also add a hole reducer to make my short putting more challenging

Of course you don't have to be as OCD about me but you do need to practice with a purpose and be constructive about what you are trying to work on

 

[Ethan]

Ben Hogan famously hated putting, and declared that he would prefer it if when the ball landed on the green, it was swept down a tunnel and popped up in the next tee.

That might be a bit harsh, but it is an interesting question, whether the importance given to putting is too great. Putting is only as important as it is because of the way the game has been structured. If the hole had been a foot wide, then it would have much less importance.

 

[Beedee]

Putts are the only shots we play were a meaningful number of them require no skill whatsoever. When you've only a few inches left it doesn't matter whether you're the best putter in the world or a complete beginner.

 

[Crow]

Ben Hogan famously hated putting, and declared that he would prefer it if when the ball landed on the green, it was swept down a tunnel and popped up in the next tee.

That might be a bit harsh, but it is an interesting question, whether the importance given to putting is too great. Putting is only as important as it is because of the way the game has been structured. If the hole had been a foot wide, then it would have much less importance.

To me that's what makes putting so crucial and adds that bit of extra uncertainty, especially in matchplay.
For instance, player A is on the green in two, player B has taken four. Player A then proceeds to three-putt (what a knob!) while Player B holes an outrageous putt from 50 feet away to halve the hole, the difficulty of putting keeps the hole alive until the end.

 

[Ethan]

To me that's what makes putting so crucial and adds that bit of extra uncertainty, especially in matchplay.
For instance, player A is on the green in two, player B has taken four. Player A then proceeds to three-putt (what a knob!) while Player B holes an outrageous putt from 50 feet away to halve the hole, the difficulty of putting keeps the hole alive until the end.

Sure, game within a game and all that. I think it is OK as it stands, but it is interesting to consider the effect of a different model.

There is a similar debate possible about rough thickness vs fairway width. Every variation favours some players and disadvantages others.

It used to be that a good putter would beat a long hitter fairly reliably. I am not sure that is the case now. Webb Simpson is the shortest hitter among the top echelon. most of the rest are bombers. Even Morikawa isn't short. Look at Spieth. When his putting went off, he fell off the planet.