Gimmes, Concessions and Mulligans: What the Rules Say

A gimme is legal in match play, where your opponent can concede your next stroke and the concession is final. In regular stroke play there are no gimmes: you hole out or you are disqualified. The Rules of Golf do not mention mulligans at all.

The ChartCan I...? By format

Not holed outWhat a hole scores if you do not hole out

In the three point-based and target-based formats, the Rules say exactly what an unfinished hole is worth. In regular stroke play, there is no such thing as an unfinished hole that counts.

The Committee sets the maximum in a Maximum Score round, and par is the Stableford target unless the Committee sets otherwise (Rule 21.1b, 21.2b). In your own game, agree on the number before the first tee.

Match playHow concessions and results work

Winning a hole. You win a hole by finishing in fewer strokes, when your opponent concedes it, or when your opponent gets the general penalty, which is loss of hole (Rule 3.2a(1)). Equal strokes halve the hole.

Winning the match. You win when you lead by more holes than remain, when your opponent concedes the match, or when your opponent is disqualified (Rule 3.2a(3)). If it is tied after the final hole, the match goes on hole by hole until there is a winner, unless the Terms of the Competition say it ends as a tie (Rule 3.2a(4)).

Making a concession. It has to be clear, spoken or by an action such as a gesture (Rule 3.2b(2)). Once made it is final.

Handicap matches. Exchange handicaps before you start. Strokes are given by hole, and the lower net score wins the hole (Rule 3.2c). If you declare a handicap that is too high and do not correct it before your opponent's next stroke, you are disqualified when it affects the strokes given or received. A handicap that is too low carries no penalty, but you must play off the lower number (Rule 3.2c(1)). To see which holes get the strokes, use the strokes received chart.

MulligansWhere the mulligan fits

A mulligan is the informal do-over, a free second shot that does not count. It is not part of the Rules of Golf. Nothing in Rule 3 or Rule 21 gives anyone a free replay.

That leaves a mulligan as an arrangement within a group, not a Rule. Whether a round played with mulligans can be posted for handicap is a Handicap Committee question. The Rules of Handicapping do not name mulligans, so check with your club or committee.

HandicapWhat the Rules of Handicapping say about these rounds

An acceptable round. A score is acceptable when the round is played in the company of at least one other person, who may also act as a marker, in an authorized format of play over at least the minimum number of holes for a 9-hole or 18-hole score (Rules of Handicapping 2.1, 2.1a).

A round where a Rule was ignored. Outside an organized competition, a score is generally not acceptable if the player breaches the Rules of Golf and does not apply the correct penalty, or deliberately ignores a Rule of Golf. The Committee makes the final determination based on the circumstances (Rules of Handicapping 2.1b(ii)).

A hole you started but did not hole out. For a valid reason, you record your score as appropriate for the situation and the format of play (Rules of Handicapping 3.3).

A match that ends early. A match finishing before the final hole is a valid reason for holes not played. A hole counts as played if it has been started, and the Handicap Committee uses your expected score for the holes not played (Rules of Handicapping 3.2a, 3.2b).

A big number on one hole. Once you have a Handicap Index, the most a hole can count is net double bogey: par plus 2 strokes plus any handicap strokes you receive on that hole (Rules of Handicapping 3.1b). To work out your handicap strokes, see the course handicap calculator.

Source: R&A and USGA, Rules of Handicapping, Rules 2.1, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 (randa.org).

Using itHow to use this page

Find the format you are playing in the column headings, then read down to the thing you want to do. Rule numbers are in brackets so you can look the wording up on the R&A's Rules of Golf site.

For a friendly game, three things settle almost every argument. Agree the format before the first tee. Agree what happens to a pick-up, using the second table above. And agree whether short putts will be given, which only means something in match play.

If the round is going to be posted, play it in a format from the first table and score it that way. A pick-up in Stableford is zero points for that hole, and nothing more.

Watch forCommon mistakes

Giving gimmes in a stroke play event. A short putt that is waved off in stroke play is simply not holed out, and the player is disqualified if it is not corrected in time (Rule 3.3c).

Thinking a concession can be taken back. It cannot. A concession is final and cannot be declined or withdrawn (Rule 3.2b).

Picking up on a shrug. A concession has to be clearly communicated, in words or with a gesture (Rule 3.2b(2)). Wait until you are sure it was given.

Agreeing to skip rules or penalties. Two players who agree to ignore a Rule or penalty they know applies are disqualified once any of them has started the round (Rule 1.3b).

Giving the wrong score to an opponent. In match play, if you give the wrong number of strokes taken or do not answer when asked, you lose the hole unless you correct it in time. There is no penalty if the mistake does not change who won, lost or tied the hole (Rule 3.2d(1)).

Treating a gimme as a stroke play idea. Concessions are a match play idea. In the point-based formats you can pick up, but the hole is scored as in the second table.

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