From 180 to 200 yards away, I know I’m not that good at golf.
When I hold a long iron or hybrid from that range, I’m already thinking about where I might miss and how I’m going to get up and down. It’s not great, but it’s honest. This part of my game is not a strength.
From 100 meters, however, it feels different.
A wedge in hand. A clean number. This is supposed to be a marking distance. I’m waiting to hit the green. I look forward to giving myself a shot.
But is this expectation earned?
To find out, I asked him Shooting range to help identify the yard where golfers overestimate their ability more than anywhere else. What the data revealed shows directly at … 100 yards.
100 meter reality check
At 100 yards, most players believe they should hit the greens consistently and leave short shots. The data tells a different story.
Shots from 100 meters
| Handicap | Proximity (feet) | green shot % | % short |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 31 | 70% | 14% |
| 5 | 41 | 57% | 21% |
| 10 | 49 | 49% | 26% |
| 15 | 59 | 40% | 31% |
| 20 | 65 | 34% | 39% |
| 25 | 75 | 28% | 46% |
The gap between what golfers expect from this distance and what the data they produce shows is greater here than anywhere else on the bag.
A golfer with a 10 handicap hits the green only 49 percent of the time from 100 yards. Average proximity is 49 feet. One hundred yards is treated as a scoring distance and ends up becoming more of a coin flip.
Even putters average 31 feet from the hole and miss 30 percent of the time. These are strong results, but they still don’t add up amateurs cut from themselves with a wedge in hand.
What do longer yards look like?
At first glance, the 150- and 200-yard numbers seem to simply confirm that golf gets more difficult as you move farther from the target. This is true, but it is not the most important thing.
The most revealing insight is this: we are not dramatically worse from longer distances than we are from 100 meters.
Shots from 150 meters
| Handicap | Proximity (feet) | green shot % | % short |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 44 | 55% | 19% |
| 5 | 63 | 38% | 29% |
| 10 | 72 | 30% | 35% |
| 15 | 92 | 24% | 43% |
| 20 | 109 | 17% | 50% |
| 25 | 116 | 13% | 63% |
From 150 yards, a 10-handicap hits the green 30 percent of the time.
The difference when you get further out of the hole is that you are likely to plan for these mistakes. You play safer targets and think about recovery.
From 100 yards, you probably don’t. This is why this distance creates the biggest disconnect between confidence and performance.
Pattern of absence to be aware
One of the most important insights at all three distances is how often the shots are short.
Only from 100 meters:
- Almost 40 percent of players with 20 handicaps lose short
- Almost half of players with 25 handicaps fail to reach the green
This indicates poor awareness of the transport distance. It also explains why frustration grows in this yard. Short misses often mean bunkers, false fronts and difficult chips. These losses feel inevitable, but they are more common than the average golfer realizes.
What to do about it
Enough with the data! Let’s move on to the solution. How can you improve from 100 meters?
- Know your carry distances: Many mistakes at 100 yards are distance mistakes. Keep things more than the general condition here. Know how far each of your wedges carries and make sure you are realistic about your average carry (not your farthest putt).
- Master a 100-yard shot: A wedge, a move, a number you trust under pressure. If wedges aren’t your forte, but you can hit a three-quarter 9-iron out to 100 yards, that’s fine.
- Practice low-point control: Firm contact and predictable impact location matter. Use tees, divot board or a line on the range for it practice the low point and stay more consistent.
- Work towards your goal: When practicing on the range, you should work on target practice. Pick a target and honestly see how close you get the ball to the hole.
Final thoughts
The data shows that the 100 yards is indeed a test of discipline, anticipation and awareness. Start measuring your true success rates from 100 yards.
Post 100 Yards feels like a field goal, but the data says otherwise appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
