Do you take gimmes? Yes, if offered.
Do you give them? Most certainly.
Do you have a set length? Not really. Anything within a couple of feet is always a given though.
Does your attitude change depending on the stakes/weather/season? I've only had it matter once, at RR. For RR I think Mike and I did a good job of being generous with putts and not straying from that even when the stakes increased. We maybe brought the circle in a touch, but I don't think we ever thought for a second that if it was within a couple of feet that we were going to make them putt it out. I've seen what happens when you make someone putt something within 18" at a THP event. I don't ever want to be that guy, and more importantly there's no need to be that guy. It's about fun, even the competition.
 
Don't take them for myself but will gladly accept them if someone is willing to give me a putt. I do give putts within a couple of feet when playing in any kind of situation. That does change though if my competitor does not return the favor.

^^^^ I echo this.
 
We give/take them within the putter grip. No arguments, no "mind games," etc....
 
In our money games it is inside the leather, but never take them for yourself.

Among friends, the gimme circle kind of expands/contracts based on any number of situations. Normally, this is my boss giving you three 3-4 foot putts in a row only to make you putt out a 2 footer in the hopes that you miss (done in good fun). Also, its a small gimme circle for birdies, slightly larger for pars and bogeys, and by the time you hit +3 you're pretty much good if you're inside the flag length. It is an intricate system.
 
All my rounds are casual so if its within a few feet i just say its good.
 
I will give a gimme to others, but I prefer to putt everything out.
 
I absolutely take the gimmes, and give them as well. 2 or 3 feet is typically a gimme as far as I'm concerned in a casual round. I get no joy out of watching somebody miss a short putt.

In match play, different story. Then it'll depend on the situation. Sometimes I might give you that 4 footer, other times I'm making you putt out from 10".
 
If just playing casually, I'm more than happy to take and offer putts inside of around 2'. I will admit I'm horrible about remembering to offer it, as most times I'll put out just to hear the noise of the ball going in the cup, and forget not everyone has the OCD issues I do about hearing that darn sound.

When playing competitively in situations where gimme's are a viable option, I used to give them early and often, but would generally stop offering in the later holes if things were tight. I wanted their first 3' pressure put late in the match to be a bit of a knee knocker without them having made any from that distance yet :)
 
I don't mind players taking gimmies in whatever distance they prefer. Hate when people try and give them to me.. lol I know I shouldnt take offense, but I like to take every putt even if its a 3 putt..

I want to be a great putter.
 
I don't mind players taking gimmies in whatever distance they prefer. Hate when people try and give them to me.. lol I know I shouldnt take offense, but I like to take every putt even if its a 3 putt..

I want to be a great putter.
Hate is a strong word no? They're just being polite after all. A simple "Thanks but I always putt it out." should let them know where you stand.


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First of all, I saw the definition of a gimmie recently:

A gimmie is an agreement between two golfers, neither of whom can putt! :act-up:

I prefer to putt everything out because I do play in events where that is required. However, the guys I play with recognize me as a pretty decent putter and are frequently giving me putts, nothing outrageous, and I will accept them when offered. I do not take gimmies on my own. I give a lot of putts, the distance varying with how the guy is playing. If he is playing poorly I will be more generous as to how close to the hole the ball has to be.
 
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First of all, I saw the definition of a gimmie recently:

A gimmie is an agreement between two golfers, neither of whom can putt! :act-up:

I prefer to putt everything out because I do play in events where that is required. However, the guys I play with recognize me as a pretty decent putter and are frequently giving me putts, nothing outrageous, and I will accept them when offered. I do not take gimmies on my own. I give a lot of putts, the distance varying with how the guy is playing. If he is playing poorly I will be more generous as to how close to the hole the ball has to be.

that is a pretty funny definition hahaha!

I think as my round goes on the gimmes tend to get a touch longer, especially when someone has made that putt five or more times already in the round. As much as I think the frequency of bad putting validates a gimme, I'd say it can go both ways!
 
Sure if you're giving them, not if it's a true handicap round, and usually just inside the leather.
 
Hate is a strong word no? They're just being polite after all. A simple "Thanks but I always putt it out." should let them know where you stand.


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Lol yeah hate is a strong word.. It doesn't upset me literally :act-up:
 
I always crack up when I'm playing a cash match and I have a 2 or 3 footer left, when they guy I'm playing against has a 6 or 7 footer and he says "Good, good?" No! Putt that s&*t! lol
 
I always crack up when I'm playing a cash match and I have a 2 or 3 footer left, when they guy I'm playing against has a 6 or 7 footer and he says "Good, good?" No! Putt that s&*t! lol

. I'll keep that in mind for our next round


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Yes, I give them and take them especially since my normal group keep our own scores and there is no money involved ... the only exception in those rare tournaments i play in.
 
I'm not a fan of gimme's , to me the hole isn't over till you hole out.
 
Growing up, I had to eat all my broccoli, not 9/10ths of it. There are no concessions in stroke play or at the dinner table.
 
I always crack up when I'm playing a cash match and I have a 2 or 3 footer left, when they guy I'm playing against has a 6 or 7 footer and he says "Good, good?" No! Putt that s&*t! lol


one of my favorite lines is when I have some triple break uphill downhill bit of nonsense and the other guy has a marginally difficult but makeable, I routinely say "I'll give you yours if you give me mine"...and at times this will extend to chips or even short pitch shots. They all know I am not serious so no harm...I think...
 
I always leave that up to someone else in the group, I'm terrible at judging what is and isn't a gimme. If a gimme isn't ever mentioned, I'm not going to bring it up, I'd prefer to just putt it out. The only time I do give putts is during casual rounds with friends and they're struggling.
 
I always give them based on the skill of the player.

One exception; there is one guy I play with who is not a good a putter who's putting routine takes soooooo looooong that I will give him anything...."that's good, please take it."

Good, Good?
 
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