Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

An article in the Wall Street Journal prompted me to write about this subject and to share my wisdom on “gimmes.”

If you want to stop reading now, I fully understand.

But I’ll continue writing.

Here is how Mr. Google defines the word “gimme” in golf.

“A ‘gimme’ putt in golf is an informal agreement to concede a very short putt (usually within 1–2 feet or “inside the leather”) during casual play, allowing the player to pick up his or her ball and count it as holed without taking the stroke.

“It is meant to speed up pace of play but is not allowed in official stroke play tournaments.”

More detail:

• Distance:  Generally considered “inside the leather,” referring to the distance from the putter head to the bottom of the grip (roughly 18–36 inches), although 1–2 feet is safer.
• When to take:  Typically used for bogies or worse in friendly matches to keep pace.
• When to avoid:  Never take gimmes in competitive stroke play, tournaments, or for eagle/birdie putts.
• Match Play:  In match play, a gimme is officially called a “conceded putt” and can be given by an opponent at any time.
• Etiquette:  If you have to ask if it’s a gimme, you should probably putt it.

Beyond this detail, gimme putts can be controversial.

Back a few years ago, where I play golf in my home, Salem, Oregon, gimme putts were sometimes “taken” from about six feet from the hole in the “senior game” on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Those are not gimmes and note the word “taken” – they are a “takee.”

It got so bad that, at one point, those in charge of the senior game suggested putting marks on all putters to designate the term “within the leather.”  It didn’t come to that, but came close.

Further, in so-called casual or gentlemen’s games, gimmes should not be taken when money rides on the outcome.

When money is not at stake because you are playing “for the love of the game” with friends, no one should care about gimmes.  I don’t.  Plus, if a player already is three or four strokes over par on a hole, gimmes speed up play.

Again, back home at the course I play in Salem, I have heard that women who play never give gimmes.  They require all balls to be played into the hole. 

Which, of course, is within official golf rules.  Kudos to these ladies.

Enough for now on gimmes which, of course, in world affairs, is a hugely important issue.