Given
Given is a conceded stroke — a putt that your opponent grants you in match play without you having to play it.
The term comes from match play and is expressly provided for there in the rules. Your opponent may concede the next stroke, a hole or even the whole match to you. A conceded stroke counts as holed in one stroke. The decision lies solely with the opponent; it cannot be demanded and cannot be withdrawn. In German this is called conceding; in the American-speaking world the related word Gimme has become established for very short putts.
In practice it looks like this: in match play your ball lies thirty centimetres from the hole. Your opponent says "given", you pick up the ball and record the putt as played. One hole later he no longer concedes anything, because the match is getting close. That is exactly where the strategy lies: conceding generously early in the round can nurture the opponent's confidence, which he needs later. Late in the round the short putts suddenly become difficult, because for a long time none was played.
The most common misconception: Given exists only in match play. In stroke play you must hole every ball; a conceded putt is against the rules there and, depending on the case, makes the round not count for handicap purposes. The same applies in the casual private round: anyone playing for their handicap holes out consistently. And one more subtlety belongs to it: whoever says "given" means it definitively — a withdrawal is excluded, even if the opponent then still wanted to sink the putt.
FAQ
Can I demand in match play that a putt be given to me?
No, conceding is solely your opponent's decision and cannot be demanded. Anyone who loudly waits for a "given" or asks for it puts themselves under pressure and violates the spirit of match play. You only have certainty in one case: putting out.
Is "Given" also okay in the private round with friends?
In the casual round without scoring yes, there it belongs to good form and keeps the pace of play high. But as soon as you play for your Handicap (Handicap-Index), you must hole every ball — conceded putts do not make the round count for handicap purposes. Clarifying before the first tee time which mode is played saves discussions later.
What is the difference between Given and Gimme?
Both mean the same process: a conceded stroke. "Given" is the classic, rule-based term, while Gimme is the American colloquial expression for very short putts. In the German-speaking region you simply say "geschenkt" — in terms of the rules all three are the same.