Most amateur golfers throw a few balls onto the green at random distances and start practicing without a plan. With limited practice time, it’s essential that every session counts, so base your practice on actual data to focus on the areas that matter most. We’ve used Shot Scope data to analyze approach play and performance to identify shot lengths that deserve your attention. If you spend a little extra time in these areas, you can save yourself a few shots.
Zoom in on the game from 100 yards – Pitch data
The first thing we wanted to look at is how close to the hole amateur golfers are leaving their approach shots. We looked at 200, 150 and 100 meters from the pin. From 150 to 200 yards, the proximity to the hole for most average players was far enough that you would have to look more at teetering and putting distances rather than putting.
However, from 100 meters, we found some excellent information. Data shows that a golfer with a 15 handicap misses the green more often than he hits it. The average distance is 59 feet from the pin from 100 yards. Most players lose short.
Scratch golfers have an average proximity to the pin of 31 feet when approaching from 100 yards.
How does this play into your presentation?
You should work on longer putts, especially in the 40- to 60-foot range, so you’ll be prepared when you hit a few of these during your next round.
| Handicap | Proximity (ft) | Shots to finish | green shot % | % short |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 hcp | 31 feet | 3.05 | 70% | 14% |
| 5 hcp | 41 feet | 3.24 | 57% | 21% |
| 10 hp | 49 feet | 3.43 | 49% | 26% |
| 15 hp | 59 feet | 3.70 | 40% | 31% |
| 20 hp | 65 feet | 3.84 | 34% | 39% |
| 25 hp | 75 feet | 4.11 | 28% | 46% |
Setting performance by distance – Shooting field data
Next, we look at how accurate golfers are from certain distances and which putters may need more work. It’s pretty obvious that the farther you are from the hole, the less likely you are to make the putt.
You’ll also notice that the longer the putt, the more even the playing field becomes. For example, a five-handicap golfer makes 67 percent of his putts in the three- to six-foot range, while a 15-handicap golfer makes only 59 percent.
If you look at shots from 24 to 30 feet, five-handicaps are about seven percent of those shots, but so are 15-handicaps. There is really no difference in single shot performance at these longer range shots. However, on shorter shots (12 feet and under), lower handicaps are much more likely to make a putt.
If you’re wondering where the lower handicappers are saving their shots, it’s from 12 feet down.
When we did ours The best golf putter 2024 testing, we put the 10-footer’s performance to the test. If you look at the Shot Scope data below, it’s easy to see the opportunities to make shorter shots that mid and high handicappers aren’t taking advantage of.
| The length of the shot | 5 hcp | 15 hp | 25 hp |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-3 ft | 96% | 93% | 88% |
| 3-6 ft | 67% | 59% | 48% |
| 6-9 ft | 44% | 36% | 30% |
| 9-12 ft | 34% | 22% | 17% |
| 12-18 ft | 19% | 16% | 12% |
| 18-24 ft | 13% | 9% | 6% |
| 24-30 ft | 7% | 7% | 4% |
| 30+ feet | 3% | 2% | 2% |
A look at the three-position
Three-putting is a nightmare regardless of your handicap. Every putt you leave more than three feet from the hole significantly increases your chance of three-putting. Also, players who miss short putts are more likely to make three shots than those who miss long putts.
If you look at the data above again, the golfer with a five handicap is twice as likely to hit a putt from 9 to 12 feet than the golfer with a 25 handicap. Why? They are much more confident in their short shooting percentages, so they are confident that they can sink shots from different distances. At three to six feet, the five-handicap golfer is 19 percent more likely to hit his tee shot than the 25-handicap golfer.
For players with higher handicaps, improving to 12 feet and under will reduce the likelihood of three-putting.
One more tip
Now that you have some more direction on what length of putt to practice, there is one more thing to keep in mind as you practice. The percentage of golfers who miss the hole tends to be a problem regardless of handicap.
Missing the putt for too long means you’ve at least allowed it to roll past the hole and potentially drop. While you are working on improving your putting, be sure to get the golf ball in the hole!
Miss Short% clue
| Handicap | 5 hcp | 15 hp | 25 hp |
| short miss % | 45% | 55% | 59% |
Final thoughts
Here are the main guidelines regarding the length of the putt to practice:
- Practice putting from 40 to 60 feet as these are common distances you will be dealing with on your approach shots.
- Work on increasing your winning percentage on shots inside 10 feet as this is where the shots are saved.
- Avoid three-putts by mastering your three- to six-foot putts and making sure you don’t leave any of your putts short.
Post The Key to Lower Scores: Putt Lengths You Really Need to Practice appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
