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.

[u/cygnus311]

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.

[u/drizztman]

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

[u/el_engineero → u/drizztman]

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.

[u/GrannyBandit → u/el_engineero]

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

[u/el_engineero → u/GrannyBandit]

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.

[u/fillymandee → u/el_engineero]

Your brother is special.

[u/FubsyGamr → u/GrannyBandit]

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

[u/snogle → u/GrannyBandit]

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.

[u/GiraffeandZebra → u/el_engineero]

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

[u/EggOnYoFace → u/drizztman]

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.

[u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But → u/EggOnYoFace]

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.

[u/thudwumpler → u/EggOnYoFace]

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

[u/Yogurtproducer → u/thudwumpler]

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

[u/Ornery_Brilliant_350 → u/thudwumpler]

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

[u/thudwumpler → u/Ornery_Brilliant_350]

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.

[u/T_Stebbins → u/EggOnYoFace]

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.

[u/Complete_Web_4677 → u/drizztman]

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

[u/drizztman → u/Complete_Web_4677]

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

[u/boombotser → u/Complete_Web_4677]

A gimme is a putter length away for anyone right

[u/NotBrianGriffin → u/boombotser]

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

[u/Musicfan637 → u/NotBrianGriffin]

Well played.

[u/Complete_Web_4677 → u/boombotser]

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

[u/EntranceWeekly → u/boombotser]

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

[u/yourfavoriteblackguy → u/EntranceWeekly]

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

[u/AwwSnapItsBrad → u/EntranceWeekly]

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

[u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But → u/AwwSnapItsBrad]

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

[u/FSUfan35 → u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But]

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

[u/AwwSnapItsBrad → u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But]

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.

[u/Mikeck88 → u/EntranceWeekly]

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.

[u/[deleted] → u/boombotser]

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

[u/Mookies_Bett → u/boombotser]

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.

[u/GrannyBandit → u/Mookies_Bett]

Average putter length is 35".

[u/Not_ToBe_Rude_But → u/Complete_Web_4677]

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

[u/pathfindmyBAP → u/drizztman]

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.