A gimme is a short putt that your playing partners agree to count as holed without you actually hitting it. It is common in casual golf and fully legal in match play, where your opponent can concede your next stroke. In stroke play competitions there are no gimmes: you have to hole out.
What is a gimme in golf?
A gimme is a putt so short that the group decides you would make it anyway, so you pick the ball up and add one stroke. The word is just a slurred "give me," as in "give me that one." On a Saturday morning it saves time and keeps the round moving. In a tournament it can get you disqualified.
How close does a putt need to be to be a gimme?
There is no official distance, because the Rules of Golf don't recognize gimmes outside match play. Groups set their own standard. The most common one is "inside the leather," and even that gets measured two ways. Some groups lay the putter down with the head in the cup and count the putt good if the ball sits inside the grip end. Others mean the distance from the putter head up to where the grip starts, which on a 34-inch putter is roughly two feet. Settle which one your group uses before the round. Some groups use the whole putter length, which is far more generous.
Are gimmes allowed in the Rules of Golf?
It depends on the format.
- Match play: yes, as a concession. Under Rule 3.2b, a player can concede the opponent's next stroke, a hole, or the whole match at any time. The R&A and USGA wording is clear that a concession is final and cannot be declined or withdrawn. So if your opponent says "that's good," you pick it up.
- Stroke play: no. Rule 3.3c requires you to hole out on every hole. If you don't, you have to correct it before you tee off on the next hole (or before you return your scorecard on the last hole), or you are disqualified.
Do gimmes count for my handicap?
Under the World Handicap System, if you start a hole but don't hole out, you record your "most likely score" for that hole. In practice that means a picked-up gimme counts as one more stroke. If you pick up a putt you would realistically miss, you're doing your handicap no favors.
Gimme etiquette
- Never give yourself a gimme. Someone else has to offer it.
- Agree on the standard on the first tee so there is no argument later.
- In a money game or a club match, be consistent. Giving a 3-footer on the first hole and asking someone to putt a 2-footer on the 18th is a classic needle.
- If you're working on your putting, putt them out anyway. Short putts are where most strokes leak. Our page on the yips covers what happens when short putts get in your head.
Where the term comes from
"Gimme" is a written-down version of how people actually say "give me." Etymonline dates the spelling to 1828, long before it was golf slang. We could not find a reliable source for the first time it was used for a conceded putt, so we won't guess at a date. The related phrase "in the leather" almost certainly comes from the days when putter grips were wrapped leather, which is why golfers still measure gimmes against the grip.
FAQ
Can you give yourself a gimme?
No. In match play only your opponent can concede your stroke. In casual play the group decides.
What does "in the leather" mean?
The ball is close enough to sit inside a putter laid down from the hole, measured either to the end of the grip or to where the grip starts, depending on your group. It is the most common gimme standard.
Are gimmes allowed in a scramble?
It is up to the event. Many charity scrambles allow a putter-length gimme to speed up play, so check the rules sheet.
Is a gimme the same as a mulligan?
No. A gimme still counts as a stroke. A mulligan is a do-over that doesn't count at all, and it isn't allowed under the rules.
See more golf words in our golf terms glossary. If your short putts need help, a better-fitting putter can make a difference. Browse used putters from Scotty Cameron, Ping, Odyssey and L.A.B. Golf.
