A common misconception among amateur golfers is that par-3s are easy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Our course data partner, Shooting rangehas pulled the stats for mid-range and long-range par-3s to reveal some interesting insights into how amateurs fare on these holes.
Many clubs will include a “Magic Twos” prize pot alongside the competition in their weekly prizes to reward those who successfully win each par-3, and for good reason, as we’ll soon discover.
From 150-200 yards, what can we expect on a par-3?
Immediately, we can see that the vast majority of golfers are more likely to miss the green than to hit it 150 to 200 yards.
Let it sink in…
Even for scratch golfers, it’s almost a toss-up whether or not they’ll find the tee at this distance.
But still, when we miss greenery, we have to be upset, right?
Wrong!
One thing that jumps out for all players (except scratch players) is that they are more likely to bog the hole than par, based on shots to finish.
In terms of proximity, players may be surprised to see how far, on average, their standard handicap hits their shot.
For example, the 10-handicap golfer will typically hit his ball up to 70 feet. Anything within that will get them hit … 70 feet!
What happens if we return them all to over 200 yards?
Well, the importance of being able to hit the ball farther becomes very clear. The chances of mid-to-high handicappers hitting the green decrease, while the shots to finish increase significantly.
Unfortunately for the 20-25 handicapper, odds are they’ll make a double bogey on long par-3s. This is because the green success is close to zero, so players are required to get up and down.
And, as we discovered in our previous articles on club selection around the greenamateur players struggle to get up and down, which we can see below:
So for higher handicappers, on a longer par-3, their highest score consists of missing the green in regulation, unsuccessful up-and-down attempts, and a few strokes depending on how close they hit it. their approach shot.
Of course, there may be exceptions to this, but, for the most part, this is a scenario we can usually expect.
So what can golfers do?
Manage expectations. We are all guilty of waiting too long on the course, and often without even realizing it.
It’s easily done, especially when we watch the game’s elite on television and rarely do we see them hit a wrong shot – they do. We don’t usually see that on the cover!
Likewise, playing high-risk shots around the green with a lob wedge probably doesn’t help. Aim to hit the green and give yourself a fair shot. If you open it, it’s great, and if not, then a two-shot is very good.
Remember, most players won’t level, so if you do, you’re gaining hits.
If you want data like this in your game, check out Shot Scope performance tracking products.
Shooting rangeis the official course data partner of MyGolfSpy.
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