Since when has anyone ever "held" a putt??

[furyk_or_unique]

Sorry to be pedantic, but since when has anyone ever "held" a putt - surely a physical impossibility!

It's a phrase I've heard many times over the years - and in this forum too - but I simply have no idea where it came from. Could it be that someone once heard a posh bloke trying to say he'd "holed" a putt, and somehow assumed it was a legitimate expression that has since spread like wildfire?

Or am I missing something here??

 

[Trueblue]

That's a bit of a funny one Furyk – i do find myself talking about my rounds (a lot) and saying "then on the 8th I held a long birdie (double-bogey) putt"...but now i see what you mean!

just seems to sound right but just for you Furyk i will now ammend my language!!!

 

[muttleee]

You could also amend 'ammend' while you're at it. ;-)

 

[chipin1]

Well said Mutlee. Furyk, you're right - that annoys me too.

 

[MacMachattie]

I have to say that before reading it a couple of time on the forum I'd never heard anyone say "I held a putt" before. It's ludicrous. Who did you invite to your putt? was it just a close family do or was it open to all-comers? Was there a band?

 

[swingstar1]

I agree, surely you are talking about 'holing a putt'

furyk, maybe you need to get your ears syringed

 

[furyk_or_unique]

Certainly do not need to get my ears syringed. I've heard countless otherwise intelligent people use this phrase, including Trueblue elsewhere on this forum actually in print rather than just verbalising it...

 

[Severiano798488]

Surely talk of "sinking a monster" or "draining one from long range" is just as bad.

But what are the alternatives? "I extracted my putting iron from my bag, made a pendulum like swing and the ball travelled over the green for 20 imperial feet before dropping into the custom fitted hole in the ground. I was delighted."

 

[muttleee]

The worst is when commentators say someone "sunk a putt". :-/

 

[swingstar1]

I must admit I'm partical to 'draining one from downtown'

 

[MacMachattie]

But Severiano, "sinking a monster" or "draining one from long range": both are grammatically correct. They may sound a bit stupid but it's far better to say either of those than, "Held a putt" because that doesn't make sense. Held is not past tense for hole.

You can say, "I holed a raker," "I boxed a monster," "I canned a python," - they all make sense. "I held a raker," "I boxing a monster," "I cans a python," - these don't.

 

[furyk_or_unique]

Calm down with your caustic Caledonian wit MacMachattie!!

I was only reporting an irritating expression that I've heard but which you have clearly never heard.

You've probably hit the nail on the head though with your past tense theory - 'I hold my putter' becomes 'I held my putter' in the past tense; so assorted muppets have obviously therefore assumed that 'I holed a putt' becomes 'I held a putt' in the past tense

Fools!!

 

[MacMachattie]

Sorry. I was getting a bit carried away.

 

[Dave3498]

'He held the put' has been a phrase used for donkey's years. It conveys the meaning without any ambiguity and is quite colourful. I can't see anything wrong with it.

Incidently, 'donkey's years' is a corruption of 'donkey's ears.' Does anyone know why? I don't.

 

[muttleee]

I think it originated from Cockney rhyming slang...donkey's ears = years. Over time I spose it got corrupted to donkey's years.

 

[Dave3498]

You're right Muttleee. It has just rung a bell with me. That is the origin.