As amateur golfers, we often have misguided notions in our heads about how far we hit iron shots or how many 3-putts we are expected to make per round – but the reality is we need to cut ourselves some slack.
Being realistic on the golf course is one of the fundamental golf tips that many professionals will share with you, especially when it comes to our performance on the greens.
In this article, thanks to the latest Arccos data, we reveal how often amateur players hole their putts from key distance ranges and even break it down by handicap to help you manage your expectations...
How Many Putts Do Amateur Golfers Make From Key Distances On The Greens?
When faced with a putt from inside two feet, a scratch golfer is expected to hole out 97 percent of the time. This number reduces in line with the increase of a player's handicap index, with a 5-handicapper (93%), 10-handicapper (91%), 15-handicapper (86%) and a 20-handicapper (85%) all expected to make at least four out of five in that range.
That figure might shock a few, especially those towards the top end of the handicap spectrum, as plenty of amateur golfers will feel they are dropping shots on the field if they slide on past.
The picture from between three feet and five feet paints a similar picture in terms of correlation, but there is a much more alarming decline in make percentage for all golfers. As indicated in the graph below, a scratch golfer makes around 69 percent of putts from this range, while a 15-handicapper can expect less than half (47%) to find the bottom of the cup.
With that data in mind, perhaps it's time to shift the narrative when standing over a 'makeable' putt to reflect the increased odds of having to settle for a two-putt.
As I headed further into the data, looking at the putts from six to nine feet, I was shocked by the make percentage of what I would consider to be a decent chance on the greens, when In fact golfers at every ability level from scratch to 20-handicap make less than 40 percent of putts at this crucial length.
As someone who plays off a handicap at the top end of this data set, I initially struggled to accept that players of my ability make around a quarter (26%) of putts from six to nine feet – but upon further reflection I would say that is probably accurate.
Sometimes, amateur golfers can be guilty of inflating their perception of what success looks like on the golf course, and our previous performances, but ultimately the data doesn't lie.
As you can see in the graph above, things start to look rather bleak when you focus on any putt length between 10 feet and 40 feet. The difference in make percentage between a scratch golfer and golfers at any other handicap level, from 25 to 39 feet, is around 1 percent, and there is no difference at all for putts from over 40 feet.
That suggests that a 20-handicapper is just as likely to hole out from 40-feet as someone playing off a mark 20 shots better, exemplifying the lottery of long putts and the premium placed on distance control and three-putt avoidance.
The beauty of this data is that it shows you where to focus your attention, should you want to close the gap on golfers with a lower handicap index than your own. If there is little difference between the success rates of putts from outside 10 feet, perhaps attention on the best putting tips and expert putting drills from close range would be the sensible next step.
How Many Putts Should I Make Per Round In Total?
The USGA states that the 'average golfer' makes around 40 putts per round, which is just over two per hole. This emphasises the importance on maintaining a solid two-putt run wherever possible, as costly three-putts then increase the necessity for a few more to be made on the first attempt later down the line. Balancing the books with putting is all about marrying the line, speed and read... so be sure to put in the work away from the course if you want to see your scores drop!
