Novice

fordy1208

Howdy, just want to get peoples views here, I'm playing my first ever inter club match (which is my first ever match play) and am curious to get peoples opinions on "gimmes".

Should I give them if they're let's say 3 foot in or not?

Any thoughts?

kiers47

fordy1208 wrote: »

Howdy, just want to get peoples views here, I'm playing my first ever inter club match (which is my first ever match play) and am curious to get peoples opinions on "gimmes".

Should I give them if they're let's say 3 foot in or not?

Any thoughts?

No way would I be giving all 3 footers to any amateur. Inside 2 foot I think is reasonable. Personally I wouldn't be giving anything outside 2 foot and depending on how the player is putting I might make him some of them.

ForeRight

I wouldn't give a 3 footer at all but you must be prepared to be putting all yours in when you have a 3 footer yourself.

There is no real hard fast rule to gimmes. Your opponent may be a poor putter so you really just need to see who you get on the day.

Just be sensible and sporting but not overly generous. That's what I do anyway.

GCW

Try to think of it in terms of difficulty over distance. A sneaky 18in putt with break or a downhiller would be more generous than a straight 3 footer up the hill. I would be generous enough but maybe that's why I lose a lot of matches

Ronney

Give anything with in the length of a putter head to grip. Make them put if its for the win.
Be generous with gimmies early on so they dont get in to a zone and they will feel more pressure when you make them put near the end of the match.

If your up in a game and you both have short ones of similar length offer to call it a half.

Henry Ford III

If you think they can't miss concede the putt. If there's any chance they'll miss make them hole it.

Tiger Mcilroy

I know from playing matchplay's and interclub a putt that is conceded early most likely wont be towards the end.

I would always try to assume nothing from my opponents and expect to be putting everything as I have seen guys that will looking hopefully at their opponents and its all a bit of a mind game when they are made finish out when earlier everything was given and it was all smiles.

Use your best judgement but i always tend to make people putt from 2-3 feet if its to win a hole unless its a tap in as pressure does funny things to guys.

jj72

Ronney wrote: »

Give anything with in the length of a putter head to grip. Make them put if its for the win.
Be generous with gimmies early on so they dont get in to a zone and they will feel more pressure when you make them put near the end of the match.

If your up in a game and you both have short ones of similar length offer to call it a half.

PLayin matchplay for years and years and have heard this so many times....and have yet to understand it...I don't think theres any added pressure on a put for a win, in fact probably less so why should we make them putt for a win? I would always think well he's putting for a half here so let him miss it/make it. Just cant really see why its any different

Tiger Mcilroy

jj72 wrote: »

PLayin matchplay for years and years and have heard this so many times....and have yet to understand it...I don't think theres any added pressure on a put for a win, in fact probably less so why should we make them putt for a win? I would always think well he's putting for a half here so let him miss it/make it. Just cant really see why its any different

i dont know...when your up against a guy with a shaky putting stroke ive seen more that a few tiddlers missed.

Norfolk Enchants_

With regard to been given putts, never ever expect to be given a putt, always expect you'll have to hole out, that way you won't be caught by surprise when you're not given a 6" tap in.
With regard to giving putts, use your own judgement, there are no hard and fast rules, but personally I'd rarely if ever give a putt (if for no other reason but just to let my opponent know he'll have to work hard to win holes and by definition the match) and I'd especially not give a putt if an opponent was looking in my direction expecting it to be given.