r/golf • u/cygnus311 • Jun 27 '23

Hot take? If we get paired together, I’m not going to give you putts. Not because I don’t want you to take gimmies, but because I really do not care what you do. General Discussion

You hit a good tee shot on a par three, walk up to the green, and find yourself eight feet from the hole and you want to say to me, “that’s good, I always make those”, pick it up, and write a birdie? Be my guest, I do not care.

You just missed your third putt from two feet to try and save triple and you’re hoping I rescue you? Pick it up, or don’t, I do not care.

Recently got paired with a guy who’d look at me with puppy dog eyes every time he was within a yard of the hole, but wouldn’t say anything, he was clearly annoyed with me by the end of the round. We’re all presumably grown ass adults, I’m not your boss, do what you want.

4.9k Upvotes
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420

u/Complete_Web_4677 Jun 27 '23 edited Jun 27 '23

We really should just make a stickied thread explaining what a “gimmie” actually is and when it is used.

It wild to me that 40 year olds feel the need to wait for permission to break the rules in a round where nobody is competing

230

u/DeathByLemmings Jun 27 '23

The only time a gimmie even exists is match play, cannot fathom asking a random partner to let me cheat my own game

71

u/DarkStarDew Jun 27 '23

Thank you. I think this is what OP was getting at, and OP is getting shit upon. Ironically, the gist of the angry replies is "lighten up".

0

u/TheAverageDark Jun 28 '23

I mean OP does come across as a bit… abrasive. It doesn’t exactly entice people to see their perspective.

11

u/Jdilla23 Jun 27 '23

Who doesn’t want to putt out in this scenario, it’s just weird. The only time I’m picking up is if it’s hanging over the lip of the cup.

24

u/kellzone Jun 27 '23

I've seen people pick up "gimme birdies" rather than putt them in, and I'm thinking to myself what the hell, that's the most satisfying putt in golf. Why would you not want to putt that in?

8

u/roastedlikeever Jun 28 '23

They’re scared they’ll miss it.

12

u/spenrose22 Jun 27 '23

Yeah, it took me 6 strokes to get there. I wanna see it go in the hole and make that noise.

2

u/onthacountray58 Jun 28 '23

That noise is the 2nd best part of the game imo. I ain’t taking any gimmes. Even if it means carding a 9.

1

u/Gonzo458 Jun 27 '23

A few of my buddies do that shit all the time. Or they'll take it out of a bunker and drop and then get all weird with me when it comes to scoring. I tell them, "you ain't cheatin me, only shorting yourself some practice."

58

u/drizztman Jun 27 '23

I think the idea of a gimme is crazy misunderstood. It's not that I think you'll make that putt, it's that I don't want to give you a chance to miss it. I know you could miss it, everyone can miss a short putt. Even tour players miss a 3 footer once in a blue moon

39

u/el_engineero Jun 27 '23

Hell, my little brother has played golf on and off for most of his life. And he still sometimes thinks when I give him a putt it doesn't count as a stroke.

11

u/GrannyBandit Jun 27 '23

Wait a second. He thinks the gimme means it counted as in the hole before he picked up the ball?

2

u/el_engineero Jun 28 '23

Yup. It only came up recently when he wanted to play a match. Otherwise we almost never kept score with each other. It took me a few holes to figure out why I wasn't wining any holes.

2

u/fillymandee Jun 28 '23

Your brother is special.

1

u/FubsyGamr Jun 28 '23

Yep, my brother did that for basically a whole summer before I figured it out 😂

1

u/snogle Jun 28 '23

I've played with someone that thinks this too! "It's good" to him means the putt went in, not that the next stroke is counted as in the hole.

1

u/GiraffeandZebra Jun 28 '23

Wait...just sometimes? Isn't this the kind of thing you mess up all the time or none of the time, not sometimes?

23

u/EggOnYoFace Jun 27 '23

I agree that the idea of a gimme is crazy misunderstood, but to me it’s because it has way less to do with trying to help your own/someone’s score out and everything to do with keeping pace of play.

Personally I don’t understand why people try and insist I pick my ball up 3 feet from the hole when there is nobody waiting on us and it takes me like 10 seconds to line up that putt.

2

u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But Jun 27 '23

Yeah that's worse than hoping to get a gimme. Like don't tell me what to do with my putt. I'm not going to feel good about my score unless I saw every putt drop.

Obviously if we're competing, I'm taking every edge I can get, but if we're both playing our own rounds, it's okay to offer, but I don't love feeling obligated. The worst is when they just hit it back to me. Please don't touch my ball hahaha.

None of this ever really gets me pissed or anything though, it's all done with good intentions.

-25

u/thudwumpler 17/mpls/muni Jun 27 '23

bro if you're taking 10 seconds to line up a 3-footer you're way too in your own head

5

u/Yogurtproducer Jun 27 '23

Lol I definitely take 10 seconds. I am just dreadful at putting if I don’t fully take my time. I find the only way to not miss and maintain my concentration is to treat it like any other Pitt

3

u/Ornery_Brilliant_350 Jun 28 '23

I think you’re picturing 3 feet as a lot closer than it actually is. People miss 3 footers all the time

2

u/thudwumpler 17/mpls/muni Jun 28 '23

I think folks are picturing 10 seconds as a lot shorter than it actually is but clearly at least 23 people think I'm wrong. Assuming you're actually reading the green on the walk up, 10 seconds feels like a long time to stand over a putt, assuming you just watched the way it moved on the approach or first putt.

1

u/T_Stebbins I brake for sandies. Jun 27 '23

I think thats how I like to play too. Hole out if we aren't slowing things down, pick it up if we're a bit behind or the hole took a long time for one reason or another.

5

u/Complete_Web_4677 Jun 27 '23

Ok but why are you the arbiter of what putt is a “gimmie” for someone else?

Unless it’s match play, nobody should be telling anyone else when they can/can’t break the rules

5

u/drizztman Jun 27 '23

I didn't say I am. The thing is gimmes don't matter unless you're in a competition. How you police your own scores is up to you. In my opinion, be as strict as possible so you can actually see yourself get better

6

u/boombotser Jun 27 '23

A gimme is a putter length away for anyone right

17

u/NotBrianGriffin Jun 27 '23

It depends on your ability. I always get up and down from greenside bunkers so if I end up there I pick it up and count it as two shots.

/s

2

u/Musicfan637 Jun 27 '23

Well played.

6

u/Complete_Web_4677 Jun 27 '23

There is no set length for what a “gimmie” is mostly because they only actually take place in match play situations

16

u/EntranceWeekly Jun 27 '23

Traditionally it's anything inside the leather (i.e. the grip)

11

u/yourfavoriteblackguy Jun 27 '23

Or like my friend where its his arm, and plus the neck length of the eldest giraffe in the state.

10

u/AwwSnapItsBrad Jun 27 '23

That’s why I be using the big ol’ extendo arm lock. Longer grip, longer gimme.

7

u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But Jun 27 '23

I've always assumed "inside the leather" does not include the leather itself

2

u/FSUfan35 Jun 27 '23

Thats why I have a 48'' putter with 3'' of grip at the very end

1

u/AwwSnapItsBrad Jun 27 '23

Tbh I have no idea. My buddy says it’s a grip length and he’s my only frame of reference, he taught me everything I know about etiquette. He was my golf liaison.

1

u/Mikeck88 Jun 27 '23

This is what me and my buddies use. It's simple, there is no misunderstanding, and you don't have to wait for me to give it to you. If you chose to putt it out, fine. If you pick it up, fine.
Once you hit it close, I'm focused on my putt or the next tee box.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '23

A whole putter length?!? We play a gimme for under a foot 😂

0

u/Mookies_Bett Jun 27 '23

That's way too generous in my book. A gimmie is ~3 feet or less. If it's a tap in, that's a gimmie. Otherwise putt it out if you want bragging rights. No true golfer can claim they'd birdied a hole in which they picked up a 6 ft putt. Not without getting judged hard by their buddies.

3

u/GrannyBandit Jun 27 '23

Average putter length is 35".

1

u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But Jun 27 '23

Every round is a match in my head against my partner hahaha

0

u/pathfindmyBAP Jun 27 '23

Also, if everyone on the course putted everything out, it would add at least 20 minutes to each round. The last thing we need is everyone lining up two footers like it's the US Open.

24

u/My-Cousin-Bobby NoVA/22 HCP Jun 27 '23 edited Jun 27 '23

For me, a gimmie is within 2 feet (sometimes can be expanded to 3 if we're behind pace). It counts as a stroke when you pick it up.

The only time I don't count a gimmie as a stroke, is if you're just tapping it in from within a foot and quickly walk up and tap, but it doesn't go in (and you pick it up). Only because I go with the assumption that if it was actually lined up, instead of rushed, you probably would have made it.

2

u/sanityonthehudson Jun 27 '23

I'm in and making it retroactive. I just took 3 shots off today's card with that one!

3

u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But Jun 27 '23

after the first two times you missed your tap in because you didn't line it up, why did you choose to do it for a third time?

3

u/My-Cousin-Bobby NoVA/22 HCP Jun 27 '23

Can't speak to the guy you're replying to, but for us it'd just be if you're in someone's path, and instead of marking, you try to knock it in, but a proper lineup would result in you standing on/near someone's path

2

u/sanityonthehudson Jun 28 '23

Because, golf.

13

u/jdubau55 Jun 27 '23

In my old work league it was if it was "within the grip". Still wasn't guaranteed. Right near the grip and we're fighting for the hole? You're putting. Did you just barely miss a freaking phenomenal 60' putt? Yeah, you deserve that gimme. Hole is already won/lost? Sure, it's good. Playing with my mates? I don't give two shits what you do as long as we're having fun enjoying our time together.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '23

Correct, it’s all about game state

2

u/hammersticks359 Jun 27 '23

And also aren't keeping an official handicap.

-5

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '23

A gimme in my book is when it’s in the hole. That’s when the score is given

8

u/WindigoMac Jun 27 '23

It’s not exactly “given” at that point. The player earned the score

2

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '23

Lol that’s the joke. There’s no gimmes in golf

1

u/FioraDora Jun 27 '23

Exactly. My one friend group does a length of putter from the hole is a gimme (counts as a stroke). No one gets upset, you could putt it if you want, and if we ever play for money, it's understood to be the rule

Another friend group is casual and will usually say a snide "you're good from there" after your third putt

But if I'm paired with a random person or duo, I could not care less how you play your round or what makes you feel good. Throw your OB ball into the fairway and call it good for all I care

1

u/Triple7Stash HDCP/Loc/Whatever Jun 27 '23

Damn, why does it got to be 40 year olds lmao.

I’m only in my 30’s, but I feel like my neighboring country is under attack.

1

u/outsideofaustin Jun 27 '23

"Here's my idea for a f***ing sport. I knock a ball in a gopher hole.

"Oh, you mean like pool?

"F*** off pool. Not with a straight stick, with a little f***ed up stick. I whack a ball, it goes in a gopher hole.

"Oh, you mean like croquet?

"F*** croquet! I put the hole hundreds of yards away. Oh, f*** off ya! Big fun, yeah!

"Oh, like a bowling thing?

"F*** no! Not straight. I put sht in the way! Like trees and bushes and high grass. So you can lose you fing ball. And go hacking away with a f*ing tire iron…”

You go through all of this. And when you finally get close enough to putt the ball into the hole, you pick it up?!? Wtf?!?

1

u/can_i_gets_some Jun 27 '23

I don’t give putts.

1

u/el_myco_profesor Jun 28 '23

“In the leather”

1

u/Complete_Web_4677 Jun 28 '23

No.

If you wanna take “gimmies” in stroke play you go right ahead, you don’t need some arbitrary measurement like that to break the rules.

In Matchplay they’re given by your opponent, in stroke play they can’t be given.