Free 3 Footers???

[Cardog]

After playing golf for 3 years now, I have seen time and time again on how people won't even put their 3 footer and call it good. I can understand maybe a 12" putt or a 2 footer but where does the threshold lie on calling it a "gimmie". I am speaking of one keeping his own score and not playing against somebody for money or bragging rights.

How many have done this? Do you do it on a regular basis? Have you missed that 3 footer and pulled the ball back and try again until you have sunk it 5 times in a row then call the first putt "good" on your scorecard?

What made me think of this is the last time I was golfing with 3 other strangers, I had blown a putt 3 feet past the hole and the other player just tapped my ball back to me as if it was a gimmie. I didn't saying anything just to keep the peace. Your thoughts................?

 

[cabinessence]

If I try to make it and miss, I don't give it to myself. I also never give myself a birdie or any putt in general when I'm playing/scoring well. So basically, whenever I play alone I count all shots unless I'm rushing. If I play through someone, chip up to 2 feet and miss the par putt without taking the line, I take the par with no qualms. With friends, whatever everyone else is doing goes. If one of my buddies shooting 110 wants to give me a 4-footer on the front nine, who the hell am I to say no?

My dad is ridiculous with 'scoring down' his playing partners. His business acquaintances love him for it though!

 

[DouginGA]

In a freindly match "within the leathers" we usually call good.
("within the leathers" being from head of putter to start of grip).
For money, putt out.

 

[Eracer]

I putted everything for a long time, thinking that it was good practice, and would benefit me if I played in a tournament, or for money. And it is good practice. But I've slowly been giving more putts, and taking "gimmies" whenever they are offered. Don't know why. Maybe because it speeds up play a bit. As for distance, usually within one foot. I've missed, and I've seen too many others miss two-foot putts.

It bugs me when someone I'm playing with gives themselves a gimmie. It bugs me worse when people make a half-hearted effort to putt, miss, then don't count the miss.

 

[SCGolfer]

my regular foursome plays "in the leather" all the time even for money....but kinda like in match play kinda way......if we carry over a bunch of holes and you have a two footer for par and the win you will likely be forced to putt it.........other wise anything in the leather is good, unless you take it upon yourself to mark it.....you mark it, you putt it. I generally always hole out when playing by myself. sometimes when it is crowded on friday or the weekend it just makes the game go faster to take em and go on.


Jason

 

[chemboy2]

I prefer to put out, however, I do take some factors into consideration. I take/offer more gimmies at times where pace of play is an issue (weekend mornings, twilights) and I actually get bugged when folks don't take gimmies in that situation.

I should also say though, I prefer to play off peak times primarily for pace of play reasons.

 

[Fourputt]

Depends on the circumstances. I will never "give" myself a 3 footer... I know how easy that is to miss and I can't claim a score honestly if I don't putt them. Some days I will putt everything, others I make the cutoff somewhere between 1 and 2 feet... usually closer to 1 foot. When I play with my buddies, they determine what is "good" or not. If they don't concede the putt, then it has to be holed.

In stroke play tournaments I naturally have to hole everything... that is a given.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

We play gimme's, just part of a friendly round or even a competitive match IMO. Someone doesn't give me a putt and I miss due to not taking it serious then that is the price I pay for losing my focus. Live and learn. I have had a few pars turned into bogies for this reason. Come up two feet short or long on a birdie putt, lose my focus and miss the tap in, tough way to finish with a bogie. Never understood the whole reputt concept. I miss a putt like that I want to tuck my tail between my legs and get off the green as fast as possible. Not something I want to relive, even sinking it the second time would only make me more PO'ed that I missed it in the first place.

Funny topic, because I have always been a decent putter and have really even given very little practice to it in the last year because of my confidence in that part of the game. Actually the last year it seems all of my practice is simply playing. Anything within 3-4 feet, unless it has a huge break, I would say I would make about 99% of the time. Just recently I went into a slump where I really think I started to literally miss about 60-70% of my 3-4 foot putts. Nothing worse IMO than rimming a 30-40 footer lag or pitching to within 3 feet, only to miss the next. Even lost a match that went into extra holes because I missed one earlier in the match . I spent about 30 minutes on the green practicing 3 foot putts the other day. I had eliminated my forward press on those putts somewhere down the line? Seemed to get it back in check, but certainly gave me whole new respect to the 3-4 footers in the last couple rounds, and even insisted on putting some closer ones that were inside the leather on our friendly rounds just to get it out of my head and get the confidence back.

 

[Bravo]

We play 'in the leather' too but we shouldn't...I missed a two footer for birdie at the beach three weeks ago. Total gag but I missed it honestly and counted the par.

 

[MCDavis]

I try to putt out every hole regardless of what the round is for and who I'm playing with. I'm teaching the kids to play this way, and my wife only picks up if she is highly frustrated (8+) and/or we're being pushed.

That said, I don't make an issue of it. If the whole group is playing in the leather, I'll go along but will still frequently take my putt and simply say I need the practice.

I don't think a 2 foot putt is going to hold up an 18 hole round of golf.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

That said, I don't make an issue of it. If the whole group is playing in the leather, I'll go along but will still frequently take my putt and simply say I need the practice.

... another thing I usually make certain of the first time I play with someone. They hit it to a foot or two, I ask if they play gimmees prior to knocking it back. I can respect that people may play that way.

 

[Lemonhead]

I putt out everything. Kind of Pablovian but the sound of the ball in the hole is my reward and then the hole is behind me and I move on. Without the sound, I'll keep thinking about the hole (if I missed a putt I should have made). Once I hear the sound, I'm done with the hole and move on.

Like Cabin, if I'm by myself and playing through and rush the putt, I'll still putt out, but I'm not going to punish myself further on the scorecard.

Lemonhead

 

[warbirdlover]

2 footers (or less) are usually gimmies in our league to speed up play (unless on a tricky break or similar). Longer then that putt it.

 

[LyleG]

We putt everything. Ball must end up in the hole.

 

[VtDivot]

I am speaking of one keeping his own score and not playing against somebody for money or bragging rights.

I don't keep score when playing by myself.
If I am playing with someone else and they say that it's good, I do not even attempt to putt it regardless of the distance.