Concession
A conceded putt in match play is a putt that the opponent accepts from you as holed without you playing it.
Conceding is a speciality of match play. There the total stroke count does not count, but only who wins the hole in fewer strokes. If your ball lies half a metre from the hole and your opponent has lost the hole anyway, he can concede the putt to you. You pick up the ball and count it as holed. The English term for it is Gimme; in German one also simply says "geschenkt". Officially the process is called "concession"; it is possible at any time before or after a stroke and cannot be withdrawn.
In practice you recognise the scene at every course. Example: match play final at the club, you lie after the Chip thirty centimetres beside the flag. Your opponent says "that's good" or "conceded", you lift the ball, the hole is decided. That saves time and nerves, because even short putts are sometimes missed under pressure. With many Putts on the green, conceding is also a question of etiquette: anyone who demands from an opponent every twenty-centimetre putt slows down the game.
The most important misconception: in stroke play there are no conceded putts. There every ball must be holed, otherwise the round is not scored. Anyone who picks up balls in a stroke play round counting for handicap without holing risks the disqualification or an invalid card. Concessions exist only where the format allows them — in match play and in the private round without scoring.
FAQ
May I have a short putt conceded at the club tournament?
Only if the tournament is played in match play format. In stroke play, that is with the great majority of club tournaments, every ball must be holed, otherwise the scorecard is invalid. Anyone who picks up in a stroke play round counting for handicap without holing risks the disqualification.
How do I recognise that a putt has been conceded to me?
Your opponent tells you expressly, for example with "conceded", "that's good" or a hand movement. Only then do you pick up the ball and count the putt as holed with one stroke. Never simply pick up because the distance looks short — without the opponent's declaration the ball counts as in play.
Can a conceded putt be withdrawn?
No. The concession is final under the rules as soon as it has been declared. Your opponent can neither withdraw it nor change it, not even if he thinks differently the next second. Conversely you cannot demand a concession — the decision lies solely with the opponent.