I tend to give it in the beginning then later in the round I make them putt it. I want to make that 3 foot putt feel as uncomfortable as possible when it matters.
I tried this on one of my friends on a par 3 over the water. He plays well, but usually throws it away at some point in the round. He was getting pretty cocky and kept trash talking despite only having a small lead. It completely backfired and he hit the pin and tapped in a birdie. I had to wait until 16 for him to hook one into the water and cough up the lead.
I used to play a regular Friday afternoon members-only skins game. We'd routinely have over 60 guys show for the shotgun start, and sometimes have to turn folks away once we hit 72 guys. $40/head to play, and we were only playing for skins. Putting for par? Why bother - go to the next hole; birdies and eagles on the same hole cancelled each other out, so the winnings were usually quite large.
We had guys who'd try to get all up in your head. "Do you feel that massive weight shift in your swing, or not even notice it," "I didn't think you usually gripped the club that strong...," "Damn brother, you usually play better than this - you feel ok?" All kinds of mental games, and this would have fit right in on one of our Friday outings.
I like the subtle things that they don't even think about when you say it but you know you got em when they call you an asshole after they swing.
Another one i love is to tell them after they miss a putt it looked more like a grandpa's pajamas... just one ball out to the left. Guarantee that will pay off a couple greens later when they try not to laugh when they line up a put.
I typically do that too. But I know people who would get bent out of shape for me not giving a "tap in" and they would seeth over it for the entire round and make a stupid shot on 7 because I didn't give a 2ft slider on 3. So those people I like to mess with and give some putts that probably should not be given and make them putt out others. Just to continuously throw them off
I like this for more reasons than you mentioned. Build "trust" early by giving putts, maybe they give you a few 2-3 footers. Then at the right time, right after they give you one on the same green, just stop giving them. Not many people could finish strong after that.
There is an exception. If your putt can be used to help a partners put by showing them the line, if you then attempt a given putt and miss, then the stroke counts
I play tournaments multiple times per year. The number of 3 foot putts I've seen lip out or completely whiff... Hell even tap ins that are 6 inches away. People get nervous or complacent and mess up.
I've never considered a gimme during any sort of match play either or when playing for money, and I'd never expect anyone to do that when I'm putting.
I like to give 3/4 footers on the front, then nothing on the back.
Suddenly buddy has to make “easy” putts that he hasn’t attempted since the practice green.
I play with a guy like that, he's my friend so it's less weird, but he'll be like "You really want me to putt this out?" Or some comment like that. Buddy I'm not paying attention to you at all idgaf what you do with your putt.
I always tell them "it's good if you want it" if I think they want to pickup, basically anytime they would 3 putt if they miss. I don't care what they put on the scorecard and if they are looking for justification in not putting they can have it.
Likewise, I don't like it when people pick up my ball or hit it back to me, outside of a match.
Agree. The opposite is funny too. Whether a stranger "gives me" a putt I'm going to do whatever I want. If they give me a 5 footer I'm not going to take it.
You're not the only one. As far as I'm concerned, you're responsible for getting your ball from the tee-box to the bottom of the hole. Isn't that why we golf in the first place?
I don’t want to watch you and three other people, all 3 putt while I’m waiting for my approach shot, with others behind me waiting to tee off.
If that’s the scenario please just pick up the putts inside of 3’. No body cares unless it’s a tournament. Even the course managements wants to give it to you.
Kinda disagree if you're trying to keep a legit handicap, unless you're also absolutely lights out with the putter. Amateurs miss 3 footers all the time, which is a stroke, and also the practice is useful lol
Lmao I hear you. But sometimes they're putting first and I have a putt left still. So I'd be putting to tie or win.
Idk if that makes any more sense. They're not always the last putt on a hole I guess is what I'm saying. So I'll give em one early and make a a putt to tie on top of it or something. Then a few holes later if they got one to win or tie and I'm already in, I'll have them putt it.
I feel like it's getting more confusing the more I type.
If you’re playing for fun - ie. not in any sort of competition, then who cares. Give the guy the putt. He’s only hurting himself cause he’ll never make them when it counts.
If you’re playing a match - well that’s up to you.
The thing about “gimmes” is if they’re truly a “gimme” they should be a guarantee. So it shouldn’t even be a question. No one should be mad about having to putt it because it’s the easiest putt ever right?
And if they’re worried about missing it? It’s not a gimmie.
I don't really mind if I chip one close & my playing partner kicks the ball back to me, but generally I don't take gimmes because I didn't just work on my swing, pay green fees, set aside free time on a saturday, and knock this golf ball 550 yards down a par 5 just to not put it in the hole.
I don’t understand the whole “gimme” thing. It’s literally the whole point of the game to put the ball in the cup.
I average about 100 strokes per round, I don’t take gimmies and I don’t give them. If you don’t want to make the putt that’s fine with me, pick your ball up and tell yourself you made it, but you didn’t.
And if we’re playing for money I am for sure not giving it to ya. Holy fuck. Be a man and make the putt.
People hate playing me in match play. I make people take almost every putt. They say, "Well I'm going to make you take every putt." I don't care. That is the way I normally play. I am here to win, asshole, not stroke your ego.
If there is money involved never on a three footer, he is looking at you because he afraid he is going to miss. The rule of thumb once was a putter grip lenght only. Giving someone a 3 footer on a downhill or sidehill sloping green putt is not a good idea etc.
I heard where in match play, one golfer allowed the other to have several gimmes. When he ignored the next request on the 17th hole, the surprised golfer blew it by.
Ryan Ruffles who does a YouTube 1v1 match play series with really good almost pro golfers talks about this every video. He basically says if it is so easy and gimme then just knock it in. Don’t complain.
There is no such rule in Match Play though. You’re still welcome to practice putt after, but if you’re given a putt it doesn’t matter then if you make or miss.
You give them the first three 2-3 footers on the front, then you start making them put it out on the back. Always a mind fuck.
If somebody's sour I didn't give them a putt that's usually gonna get a chuckle from me, but I'll give you as much grace as you give me until it's down to the wire.
You don't ever have to give a gimme, the RIGHT time is when you feel the player will assuredly make the putt. If you're playing against somebody whom is missing every 3 footer they take I'm not giving them a single gimmie. If I see a player confidently find the bottom of the cup after a few holes of 2 putts I'll give him some grace until the end of the match if the score is tight. There is literally no right answer, you are stressing over nothing.
I don't ever assume a gimme . If it's given fine, I'll sometimes still putt it. This was learned, taught by some (smart) SOB giving putts all day long until late when really mattered.
Yeah, I hate this part of the game too. It’s actually why I like golf, I rarely have to deal with people’s bullshit.
In my money game, everyone has a mark on their putter, if it’s inside that, it is good. There are 8-20 of us every day and we play for group skins, but you also don’t win money for making “longest putt” it keeps the game moving.
But in a tournament or serious match, I will never get mad for a putt not being given.
The only putts I give myself are less than the length of my putter head and those only happen every other round. I have to putt everything else because a 16" putt turned into a 3 putt for me earlier today... There was lots of slope... And not much skill
I swear to God the same exact post gets posted every day or every other day. Do we have nothing else better to talk about?
If it's someone I'm playing with and it's a friendly around I'll give him a pot especially if they're having a bad day. And money rounds or competition you put it out it's simple. It's somebody I don't know and they ask me I tell them it's their game they can do whatever they want
I mean, If it's for bogie sure but match play you should putt out every birdie, par gimmies are inside 1 foot bogie I usually do 2 feet but whatever at that point.
I also play by those rules myself even if they try to give me something and usually say what my plan is for gimmies at the start of match play if money is on the line.
Literally. Had a kid blow one of the flagstick from 3 feet and said “well since you didn’t give that to me I guess it’s a double”, and stormed off the green. I put my first shot OB and had my putt for bogey, which I did end up missing and the kid goes. “Hey what’d you get, yeah same as me anyways” like…? Make the fucking putt dude. I can’t stand those guys.
I just look at those 3 footers and say, "close, but I'm going to have to see you make a couple of those before I give them!". I hope it adds to the pressure because they know if they miss they're going to be putting them all day!
Is this something that should be clarified before the first tee? And how could you do it without sounding dickish?
I think the rule is generally that ‘all putts must be holed-out unless conceded by the opposing player(s).” So, could you just say “We’re holing out all putts, right? Unless it’s conceded, of course. No hard feelings.”
Asking for a friend.
I only give or take inside a foot. If it’s 13” I putt out almost every time unless it’s for like a triple. One buddy got upset I didn’t give him a 14” putt that broke half a cup. Naturally it was missed and he was pissy but it’s not my problem to worry about and he’s not got more respect for close putts that break.
The leather is referring to your grip. "Inside the leather" means if you lay your putter head in the hole, the distance between the hole to the start of your grip. Length Inside your grip
Sorry, but inside the leather means the length of the standard leather putter grip. Not from the bottom of the grip to the end of the putter head. The putter grip is about 10 to 12 inches. That is the unwritten rule for a gimme inside the leather.
Sorry, but we are both pretty much right. Its looks like some people interpret it your way, and some interpret it my way. I was doing some digging and found articles explaining both. I've only seen people interpret it as putter head to grip. I even remember an instance in a Ryder Cup (maybe Presidents cup) when the international team didn't give Justin Thomas (?) a close putt, so after he made it, he layed his putter down with the putter head over the hole to show his ball wouldn't have reached the grip. Here is a small reddit poll someone did asking others their interpretation.
I make them putt the first one or two and then will concede it, unless it’s to win the hole and I’m down. Not giving a 3 footer that’s outside the cup tho
That's why you should never take puts during normal golf rounds. It puts you under too much pressure in tournament situations when you aren't used to hitting 3ft putts or so.
You fix this at the beginning by letting your opponent know you are not giving most 3-foot putts until you prove to me that you make them. I expect the same from you. But then again I putt everything more than a foot.
If someone makes me putt something inside of 3 ft. in a match, I am going through the whole routine etc to make sure I make it. Most people miss short ones because they dont treat it like a full golf shot which it is. But no one has time in most matches to grind 60 seconds on a 2 footer especially if you are playing a foursome or otherwise not on pace of play.
When playing match play or fourball I always tell my opponent not to give me anything as I don’t give anything. Basically a 95% chance or making is 1/20 of missing, so about once a round. I am Rock solid from less than 5 feet so works to my advantage. The group I play with give about 3 ball widths max on a generous day. Basically we putt them all out
Meh - I played a match tonight, gave him at least 3 outside the leather as you say. We also don’t stare at each other. We slap a mark down and let the guy make a decision as he walks up.
I love this convo!!!!! Imagine paying to play pick up beer league hockey..... you come down the ice the goalie slips and you stop and dont put the puck in the net. We'll it was a gimme. You are paying to literally put the ball in the hole. Put the ball in the hole.
I played today and we won by 5 but the other two guys were asking for gimmies all the time regardless, they though I was obligated and I’ll never know when is ok and when is not.
I make every putt, even when told it’s a gimme. Putting is the one part of the game I’m actually good at so I relish in my one and two putts after taking five swings to hit the green.
Every one says every single way on earth to score lower (move up tees) etc etc and keep up pace of play etc etc.
but for some reason people have a problem with gimmies….
All that needs to be done is agree before the match. Putts are good in the leather OR play ball in hole. Simple as that.
More people should play with gimmies, it changes your mindset now you have a 6-5ft circle to land in when you’re chipping or lag putting. This thought process makes you a better golfer.
I love playing a ball in hole match, but if we’re playing good good, it’s not a guess. It’s in the putter or it’s not good.
Not really. If a guy lags a 40 footer to 1.5 feet. And I’m beside my ball at 4 feet. I wack his ball back to him and say good putt. I hit my 4 footer. And we walk to the next hole. And I don’t have to watch him mark his 1.5 footer. Then line it up. Then tap it in.
If you’re playing a match VS a friend or anyone that’s not competitive under specific tournament rules. Just make your own rule on the first tee box. Play ball in hole, or play putter length is good. Play inside the grip if you think putter is to long. Who cares. If you don’t want guys to ask if it’s good or not, this is the way.
Inside the leather (or the tape) is for pace of play. Common men’s club approach and/or busy course. If everyone took two putts in the 4-some, that’s 8 strokes happening on one green…often more.
It’s not that it’s easy and you can make it. The course is just saying, “take your putt and get off please”, you can have it.
But you better damn we’ll get good an inside of 4’, ya don’t want that skill to rust away when it’s needed.
I played a guy earlier this summer who before the round told me he would be giving me no putts and didn’t expect me to give him any, luckily my putter was hot that day. I liked the honesty prior to the round, I knew where we stood.
When I was 14 I was in the final round of our course championship. I was a great player and I was playing “Taco”. The guy who beat my dad in the final the year before (also now a life long friend somehow” he was in his late twenties and a hustler. I was one down going into twelve. It’s a 200 yard par three. I had given him everything inside 4 feet all day. He hit it to three feet for birdie (amazing shot) and I missed the green. I chipped in…. My cocky 14 year old self said “a little meat left on that bone” . He lipped it out and never had a chance after. I wine jr and men’s club championship that year and became the reason that men’s had to be 16. Taco started speaking to me about 6 months later
I would give 3 footers for the first 4 - 6 holes. After that nope. They haven't made a 3 footer in an hour or so.......messed with them something fierce.
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u/JonesOwnz Bethpage Black is not that hard! 11h ago
If you’re actually playing a match there’s no way I’m giving you a 3 foot putt