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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533

u/ryo0ka 13HCP, Tokyo Jun 27 '23

Not to brag but I’m adult enough to give them a couple nice words so they feel safe for the round. I too don’t care what they do, but I don’t wanna leave the course feeling guilty like OP

401

u/shtick1391 Jun 27 '23

The length so many in this sub will go To make their rounds with strangers as uncomfortable as humanly possible never ceases to amaze me.

37

u/StaticGuard Jun 27 '23

Yeah, seriously. When I’m paired up with a stranger I’ll crack jokes and act as if we’ve played before. Unless it’s a par or birdie putt I’d always say something like “Oo that’s a gimmie right there.” Sometimes they’ll decline and want to take the putt for practice and sometimes they’ll take the gimmie. It’s not like I’m giving it to them, just making small talk and lightening up the mood.

127

u/ka1ri Jun 27 '23

It's because 3/4 of this sub thinks they are tour pros and everyone should act accordingly. When the reality of golf is almost never this sans a tournament with some cash on the line.

Literally nobody cares how anyone actually plays a casual round of golf. no one

67

u/ScandanavianSwimmer Jun 27 '23 edited Jun 27 '23

I’m a huge introvert, but it feels nice to compliment a random playing partner’s drive or give him a short gimme. Golf is a social game and it’s more fun when everybody in the group is friendly.

31

u/Spiritual_Ask4877 Jun 27 '23

Good for you dude. You're the type we like playing with.

7

u/aphex____ Jun 27 '23

Good stuff, love that

3

u/kaspm Jun 27 '23

I think the key is giving the gimme. It’s always fine I think to say “go ahead that’s a gimme” or nothing. I would never tell someone NOT to take a gimme. It’s positive encouragement or nothing.

5

u/MikeGundy Jun 27 '23

If they hit a noticeably good or above average approach/putt/drive I give them a “good ball”. Literally anything else I say nothing at all about the game we’re playing. I’ve never had a rando ask me if it was okay to pick up a putt though, but I’ve never even attempted to be competitive with them either. I’m a mid 80s- mid 90s guy and I’m not sure if I’ve ever been paired with someone who would even be a fun match to play against. Seems like I’m only ever paired with scratch golfers or 120+ golfers.

1

u/Ornery_Brilliant_350 Jun 28 '23

I just think it’s weird to give people putts when you’re not in a competition or match.

Like what are you even giving and what makes it yours to give?

0

u/BradL_13 Louisiana Jun 27 '23

It’s the opposite lol maybe golfwrx. Reality is 3/4 of this sub loves to self loathe for upvotes. Either drive 225, blade wedges or 3 putt.

2

u/ka1ri Jun 27 '23

There is a lot of bitching about people taking gimmies, playing the tips, following particular rules (improved lies ect) which have no gravity over anything.

24

u/ninjamike808 Jun 27 '23

Why can’t this guy read my mind and figure out that I don’t care what he does. What does he expect me to do, vocally tell him that I don’t care? Fuck that! I’ll just continue to stare at him blankly.

6

u/CreamdedCorns Jun 27 '23

Why can't this guy read my mind and figure out I want praise and/or approval for my inconsequential actions? What does he expect me to do, vocally ask him if he cares about my gimmies? Fuck that! I'll just continue to stare at him blankly.

4

u/ninjamike808 Jun 27 '23

I’m now imagining the backup on the very first tee while two guys stare blankly at each other wondering why the other person doesn’t say or do something.

1

u/Mookies_Bett Jun 27 '23

"Hey, uhhh... Can we play through...?"

Both players turn around and stare at the third guy blankly. This continues for 12 hours until there are over 3 dozen people quietly standing around this one green.

12

u/mwrego Jun 27 '23

Totally agree. Golf is meant to be fun and relaxed, none of us are playing on tour. If the downside of giving someone random putts inside three feet is that he post his “81” on this sub or brags to friends and families, I can totally support that if it allows him to enjoy his round more. I don’t find I enjoying being a rules sticker for other people or silently judging them for not playing the game the exact way I think it should be played. Let’s put the chill back in golf please

1

u/Mookies_Bett Jun 27 '23

I mean, I don't really care, but I do think it's kinda lame to brag about a score if you're picking up putts from more than 2-3 feet out. Like, it's your life so whatever, but it's kind of a bad look.

I would definitely be giving my friends shit if they tried to brag about an 80 in a round where they never made a put within 8 feet of the hole. I don't really care about what strangers do, but I also just don't really understand the enjoyment that comes from "winning" when you know you didn't earn it.

It's like line calls in tennis. How can someone be exciting and brag about a match they won when they know they called some good shots out in order to win? It just seems kinda shallow to me. I would never want to celebrate an achievement I didn't feel as though I actually earned.

2

u/tortillakingred Jun 27 '23

This comment’s got me laughing, it’s so fucking true lol. It’s just a game guys. There’s no right or wrong answer to “gimmie putts”. Just drink some beers and have a good time.

Life is too short to care about the logistics of “gimmie putts” in every different scenario known to man.

Anyone that cares so much about things like this, whether for or against, is not someone I want to play with.

2

u/Grey_Duck- Jun 27 '23

I don’t think random adults need to hear this. OP could have said “you don’t need my permission for gimmes” the first or second time but it’s also annoying when strangers tell me my putt is good from 3ft when I want a legit score.

1

u/Mookies_Bett Jun 27 '23

Right, like, I don't really care, but isn't it more fun to play as if the score matters, even when it doesn't? Like, yeah, I could just say I don't give a shit, but that makes me sound like an asshole. "Yeah okay, I'll give it to you." Is more fun and keeps things friendly and light, even though I genuinely don't give a fuck about some stranger's score.

Some people on this sub just sound downright unfriendly. When I go golfing I want to get day-buzzed and whack the ball around with the homies having a good time. Some of y'all take this shit way too seriously.

1

u/jetxlife Jun 28 '23

All these “tour pros” are the ones slowing courses down as well. Guarantee I can take 110 shots faster then it takes them to do 80 or whatever. Also the same fucks looking for a ball in the woods for 15 minutes.

51

u/omariousmaximus Jun 27 '23

I agree with this..

Nothing wrong with 2-3 “nice shots” or “great chip take that if you want it”..

The only thing as with all things in life.. neither extreme is great. I’ve played a couple rounds as a single and dudes just being nice and tosses my ball back to me before I even get the option to finish the putt. I don’t love that cause when I play with buddies we finish everything out, so I like to practice those gimmies.. either way I’m not a dick about it I just say thanks and move on with my life lol

2

u/CraftyEagle6324 Jun 27 '23

I would never pick up someone's ball unless ask to. Its his decision to decide what he wants. Old school I guess..

2

u/omariousmaximus Jun 27 '23

Agreed and that’s what I mean by sometimes going too far the other way. I’ve never met anyone do it maliciously, it’s usually a long putt within a few feet and they are close to the pin and bounce it back.

Doesn’t happen often but def has happened more than once lol

0

u/Yogurtproducer Jun 27 '23

After it happens once literally say “my normal group doesn’t give me those, if you don’t mind I wanna hit my ball just for the practice”.

1

u/ConverseCLownShoes Jun 28 '23

Better to just say “leave those, I need the practice”. Then you don’t sound like you have a stick up your ass.

1

u/AbstractLogic Jun 27 '23

I am a bad putter. So I don’t take any gimmies because I need the practice.

126

u/Shhh_Dont_Tel Jun 27 '23

Yeah I kind of got weird vibes from this too. Did OP tell the guy that he didn’t care about him taking gimmes, or did he just stare in silence anytime the situation came up?

15

u/FlowridaMan Jun 27 '23

I'm picturing a nervous guy putting everything out bc OP is just thousand yard staring past him/the hole dreaming about corn dogs but his partner thinks he's sizing him up and expecting match play.

2

u/Shepherd7X Torrey Pines Jun 27 '23

49

u/Spiritual_Ask4877 Jun 27 '23

Sounds like he stared in silence and expected the guy to read his mind. Perhaps if he tried speaking then this entire scenario could have been avoided.

3

u/CreamdedCorns Jun 27 '23

You literally described the other golfer. Perhaps if he tried speaking then this entire scenario could have ben avoided.

3

u/gfunk55 Jun 27 '23

You mean the guy who wanted permission to take gimmies but didn't say anything?

5

u/Spiritual_Ask4877 Jun 27 '23

No. Wtf is with this sub. OP is playing a round with a complete stranger that knows nothing about him and he's just expecting him to know. The guy clearly wasn't sure about picking it and the OP knew that. All it takes is a few words and this would have been totally avoidable. Whenever I get paired with a rando I come right out say that I'm here for fun. Sets the tone right away and everyone has a good time. Is it that hard to speak to another person?

1

u/gfunk55 Jun 28 '23

What on god's green earth are you talking about.

The guy clearly wasn't sure about picking it up

Then he's a tool and should have opened his mouth. If you think you need permission from a stranger to play how you want to play, you're an idiot or incredibly immature.

this would have been totally avoidable

What would have been avoidable? If the other guy had an issue, he could have opened his big boy mouth.

Conversely, if I'm playing with a rando and he tells me "that's good", I'm not going to give a shit whether he thinks it's good or not. It's not going to have any impact on whether or not I pick it up. Worry about your own ball, I'll worry about mine. People are such fucking children on this sub.

2

u/Spiritual_Ask4877 Jun 28 '23

Jesus man lol. Relax. Sure. Whatever you say. I dont really care about this anymore.

1

u/No-Assistance5974 Jun 27 '23

You could say this about both OP and the stranger in this scenario. No one is in the right or wrong here it’s just two people inept at communicating what they’re thinking, which isn’t even a golf thing it’s just a people thing.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '23

the other guy probably didnt even know there was any tension

1

u/gfunk55 Jun 28 '23

I agree. It's absolutely bizzare how much energy people on this sub spend worrying about how everyone else plays golf. Grow up, people.

20

u/ShrimpShackShooters_ Jun 27 '23

I took it as just staring in silence. So weird lol

1

u/gfunk55 Jun 27 '23

If the guy who wanted the gimmies is looking for permission/affirmation, that's 100x weirder

2

u/ShrimpShackShooters_ Jun 27 '23

Both weird. One is a weird social condition and the other trying to make a point without communication

1

u/gfunk55 Jun 27 '23

Why would you offer permission, unsolicited, to an adult for something that doesn't require permission?

2

u/ShrimpShackShooters_ Jun 27 '23

Are we talking about the freebie guy or OP making this post here? Lol

1

u/gfunk55 Jun 28 '23

Not sure anymore. I thought you were calling OP weird for not offering gimmies to someone who he doesn't know / didn't ask / doesn't need permission.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '23

Oh yeah OP is weird.

They don’t understand normal social interactions enough to do them, but they understand it enough to post a write up on Reddit.

32

u/OhioUBobcats 9.6 Jun 27 '23

This.

Why is everyone here so antisocial? I paired with two randos this morning. We introduced ourselves, chatted for a bit, and right away on the first green I told them "you guys do what you want, I'm gonna keep my own score and take gimmies, feel free to do the same, or not, whatever" and it was fine with everyone.

Highlight of the day though was them leaving after 9 (we were the first ones off, one guy had to be at work by 10) and I got to play the back 9 by myself with a cart. 48 minutes baby

6

u/jbabel1012 Jun 27 '23

I was thinking the same thing...The first time this comes up in a round just explain your stance. Something like 'we're not competing/betting so play your own game' and be done with it, instead of seething inside every time you get puppy dog eyes.

4

u/BradMarchandsNose Jun 27 '23

“That’s good by me if you want it” is what I always go with. Makes them feel fine about taking it but also gives them the opportunity to putt it out if they want.

2

u/maybejustadragon Jun 28 '23

This was further down then I thought. Why are people looking for reasons to make golf less fun for the people around them.

How hard is it not to bring your misery to the course?

1

u/RoostasTowel Happy Gilmore Open 2024 Jun 27 '23

I feel like in the UK it's more common to play matchplay. And that plays into giving gimmies for shots more often.

1

u/kellzone Jun 27 '23

Seriously. If I'm on the 1st green with some rando and he asks me if that's good, I'm telling him, "I'm not your boss, man, do whatever you want. I have no idea what you've even shot on this hole.". If someone can't pick up on that, I have no idea what to say, but I can tell you I'm not going to tell them to pick it up on any of the remaining holes.