The "thats good" guy who has nothing to do with your game.

[bkuehn1952]

For those who take gimme's, whether they are 3 inches or 3 feet, do you post your score as if the putts are made?

The USGA wants people to post scores. In the case of gimme's I think posting the most likely result (made putt) would be appropriate. Do you agree with this? Or should someone with a 2.5 foot par putt post a bogey? [I understand you would prefer everyone putt out]

 

[InTheRough]

For those who take gimme's, whether they are 3 inches or 3 feet, do you post your score as if the putts are made?

Let's say I miss my birdie putt and leave it 1' from the hole. I know I'm 99.9% from 1 foot unless I've had a half dozen vodka cranberries. My playing partner says, "Pick it up." I add one stroke and mark down Par.

Sometimes an 18" putt is right in someone's line. Sometimes putting it out leaves one standing in someone's line. So should I mark it and wait which would involve offsetting the ball mark for an 18" putt in a non-tournament round? Or contort my feet and body trying not to stand on someone's line to putt out which would increase the chance of missing something even that close? Or take the gimme? I take the gimme and add a stroke.

Also when it gets to "net double bogey" time. A six footer is a gimme. Let's go. Or if we're playing Stableford when you get to 0 points, pick up.

 

[MtlJeff]

As long as they don't hit your ball back to you before you can say anything, nothing a random playing partner says on this topic really bothers me.

If I want to putt I just say "no thanks I guess I'll putt this one" and if I don't I'll just say thanks.

In a fun round I'll usually pick up like 1 foot putts.

 

[smgoldstein]

In the case of gimme's I think posting the most likely result (made putt) would be appropriate. Do you agree with this?

I'm cool with that. I guess it depends what the definition of a gimme is. There are two footers and there are downhill, down grain, left to right breaking two footers.

Or should someone with a 2.5 foot par putt post a bogey?

We have all missed putts of that length and shorter.

 

[bkuehn1952]

I'm cool with that. I guess it depends what the definition of a gimme is. There are two footers and there are downhill, down grain, left to right breaking two footers.

We have all missed putts of (2.5 feet) length and shorter.

I agree that some of the most difficult putts are the short breaking ones. I have missed my share.

I do not want someone who takes gimmes to pad their handicap by recording a "miss" without actually putting the ball. I am okay to let people take gimmes as much as they want from any length. Their handicap will reflect lower scores. If someone wants to pretend they are a "6" instead of a "9", that is okay with me. Down the road, in a match or competition, they are going to have to make the 2.5 footers and give me a stroke or two.

 

[captaincaution]

The USGA wants people to post scores. In the case of gimme's I think posting the most likely result (made putt) would be appropriate. Do you agree with this? Or should someone with a 2.5 foot par putt post a bogey? [I understand you would prefer everyone putt out]

I'm cool with that. I guess it depends what the definition of a gimme is. There are two footers and there are downhill, down grain, left to right breaking two footers.


We have all missed putts of that length and shorter.

I agree that some of the most difficult putts are the short breaking ones. I have missed my share.

I do not want someone who takes gimmes to pad their handicap by recording a "miss" without actually putting the ball. I am okay to let people take gimmes as much as they want from any length. Their handicap will reflect lower scores. If someone wants to pretend they are a "6" instead of a "9", that is okay with me. Down the road, in a match or competition, they are going to have to make the 2.5 footers and give me a stroke or two.

The USGA guidance on conceded putts is to post your most likely result. They go a bit further and say that inside of 5 feet, you consider the next putt holed. Which makes sense as around 5 to 6 feet is 50-50 distance for many amateurs.

 

[Jman]

Do you? Anything else you want to rant about? What’s tomorrow's rant going to be about? Kids on your lawn? Taxes too damn high?

Dang dude. Big breaths.

 

[Canadan]

Im well aware you and your circle play (what i would consider) pretty fast even with the pin pulling and not finishing.
I get that you are not a pace issue at all. Your group move quick so anything is not a problem. Which just goes to show its all about how we move about and really nothing more.

That said the play out on pubic curses and among the masses on public courses are often an issue. And compared to you guys is a big issue. So with that we come up with many things that people/groups do and or can do to help their pace. And many the things that can help are the same things that others (like your group) do while not being a problem.

I can tell you for certain playing on my county courses where its alwatys full that there is a noticeable difference in the time spent waiting on approaches when the group ahead on the green pulls pins and also dont finish out vs groups that do finish out and dont pull. . . Its not always the case but it does play out smoother and less overall time on the green. And when Im with 4somes that leave the pin and also finish out everything the group Im in moves quicker than the ones im with in which they pull pins and dont finish out.

Those things do make a difference. regardless whether or not you or other groups do them and play rather quick. They are both still things which allow for the entire greens process to move along quicker (or not).
And when people are slow that stuff makes them even more slow. They do make a difference. None of which means you cant do them and still move very well.

I want to say that I truly sympathize with anyone dealing with 5+ hour pace of play, and it definitely plagues this game that we all love.

With that in mind, I could think of SO many things that aren't related to pulling the pin or putting out that would improve pace of play. Pulling the pin is about the easiest thing you can do, and returning it is the same.

 

[rollin]

I want to say that I truly sympathize with anyone dealing with 5+ hour pace of play, and it definitely plagues this game that we all love.

With that in mind, I could think of SO many things that aren't related to pulling the pin or putting out that would improve pace of play. Pulling the pin is about the easiest thing you can do, and returning it is the same.

we can take many things and say the same exact thing. Doing this or that "X" in its own right isnt an issue and so many other things are. Truth is everything contributes and everything we do takes time to do it. people can play fast and do them all. Yet others cant play fast and so then all these things (the same things) makes them even slower.

Pace efficient groups can pull pins, never finish out but instead pick up and mark again,, use yardage lasers, hit provisionals, play poorly, and any other number of things etc,etc. . But all those same things make slow players even slower. They also make efficient players slower but since they are not slow (and in fact might be fast) none of it matters at all. But that doesnt dismiss any one of those things from taking their time worth and all adding up to make problem slow players even slower. Leaving the pins alone just like any number of other things will improve the pace of any group but its the problem slow groups in which all those things will matter the most.

 

[Canadan]

we can take many things and say the same exact thing. Doing this or that "X" in its own right isnt an issue and so many other things are. Truth is everything contributes and everything we do takes time to do it. people can play fast and do them all. Yet others cant play fast and so then all these things (the same things) makes them even slower.

Pace efficient groups can pull pins, never finish out but instead pick up and mark again,, use yardage lasers, hit provisionals, play poorly, and any other number of things etc,etc. . But all those same things make slow players even slower. They also make efficient players slower but since they are not slow (and in fact might be fast) none of it matters at all. But that doesnt dismiss any one of those things from taking their time worth and all adding up to make problem slow players even slower. Leaving the pins alone just like any number of other things will improve the pace of any group but its the problem slow groups in which all those things will matter the most.

I feel like we're not arguing with each other here, simply talking about things that could improve pace.

For me, pulling the pin and marking a three footer is pretty low on the list.

 

[jlew]

I have no cares in the world how other people choose to enjoy the game. You want a 10 foot gimme, sure no problem I'll roll it back to you. Want to putt it out- go right ahead.

 

[rollin]

I feel like we're not arguing with each other here, simply talking about things that could improve pace.

For me, pulling the pin and marking a three footer is pretty low on the list.

My point was that they are no different than the many other things on the list when it comes to a slow group. They both do matter just like the other things i mention matter.
Picking up to mark vs finishing out takes time from the group, pulling pins takes some time, using lasers takes some time, a wayward shot and also provisional takes some time, whatever the case they all take time and they all along with anything else add up to significant time. When a group is slow it all matters. Pinpulls and not finishing out are not somehow exempt from that equation any more than anything else is.

Even you and your group (any group regardless of quicker pace) will still move along a bit better if all or any combo of those things are eliminated. But problem slow groups will gain the most because everything they do is slow so the less they do the more signification the affect.

 

[Canadan]

My point was that they are no different than the many other things on the list when it comes to a slow group. They both do matter just like the other things i mention matter.
Picking up to mark vs finishing out takes time from the group, pulling pins takes some time, using lasers takes some time, a wayward shot and also provisional takes some time, whatever the case they all take time and they all along with anything else add up to significant time. When a group is slow it all matters. Pinpulls and not finishing out are not somehow exempt from that equation any more than anything else is.

Even you and your group (any group regardless of quicker pace) will still move along a bit better if all or any combo of those things are eliminated. But problem slow groups will gain the most because everything they do is slow so the less they do the more signification the affect.

Pulling a pin takes about five seconds. I'm not sure I understand why that's on par with someone who isn't ready to play for any of their shots until it's their turn.

Fix the mentality of the slow golfer and the whole round speeds up.
Tell them to leave the pin in and they are still slow for everything else.

 

[5150]

I used to play with guys who gave themselves gimmes all day. 6 footers, 7 footers. Their favorite thing to say was "I think I'd make that" and then pick it up.

Then when we total up scores in the clubhouse they proudly announce "78!" after picking up 5 or 6 putts like that.

We didn't play for money so I kept my mouth shut.

But I often had to bite my tongue, both on the green ("Really? How do you know that when you never putt them?") and in the clubhouse ("78? After giving yourself 30+ feet of putts?").

<shrug>

It's their game. If we played for money I wouldn't concede a damn thing to them... putt it all.

 

[rollin]

Pulling a pin takes about five seconds. I'm not sure I understand why that's on par with someone who isn't ready to play for any of their shots until it's their turn.

Fix the mentality of the slow golfer and the whole round speeds up.
Tell them to leave the pin in and they are still slow for everything else.

Agreed but we can't fix the mentality. What can be fixed are removing things they do.

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

A person chooses their own gimme? That's quite weird.

I thought the exact same thing when I read the second sentence of the post! However, this place moves so fast I feel like I am behind right now, since the original point of the thread seems to have shifted. But, yes! Your opponent has sole discretion of whether or not to give you a putt! And, you have no business asking for one in a serious match. Fun match, maybe so.

I'm reminded of a story I read many years ago. Seems that Nicklaus was in a Ryder against a relatively young player. Every time the guy had a 3-4-5 footer, Nicklaus would forgive it! The youngster forgot all about the match play rule that says once play on the hole is completed, you can practice putt until the following group is ready to hit up! The guy didn't hit a single one of those putts until there was one that really counted until late in the round! He stepped up to the ball, and looked at Nicklaus. Nicklaus was staring off into space! The guy stabbed it past the hole, made the comeback to go 2 down!

 

[rollin]

I thought the exact same thing when I read the second sentence of the post! However, this place moves so fast I feel like I am behind right now, since the original point of the thread seems to have shifted. But, yes! Your opponent has sole discretion of whether or not to give you a putt! And, you have no business asking for one in a serious match. Fun match, maybe so.

you must consider this thread and mentioned scenario is not at all built around playing against anyone but simply individual casual golf and or individual posting where no one is versing anyone. Playing as a single mixed in with all 4 singles or perhaps 2 and 2 or 3-1 whatever the case. Your playing a round for yourself only and are out there with 3 others and thats all.