One of the most common mistakes golfers make when hitting approach shots is underestimating the yardage needed to reach the target. For years, data has suggested that most golfers miss short, yet many players remain convinced they’re the exception. We’ll look at some revealing data from Shot Scope on short versus long misses on approach shots. It may just make you club up the next time you head out to play.
Short versus long misses on approach shots
Golfers are more likely to miss short than long. Below are tables showing the percentage of approach shots that miss short or long for various handicap levels. This is for all shots longer than 50 yards.
| Handicap | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short | 25% | 39% | 42% | 54% | 59% | 69% |
| Long | 6% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 4% |
As the handicap increases, the percentage of shots that come up short increases dramatically. Meanwhile, the percentage of shots that go long doesn’t change much.
Why are most golfers missing short?
There are a number of reasons that golfers come up short on approach shots. However, one of the biggest culprits is overestimating how far you actually hit the ball. Many golfers base their club selection on a perfect or best-ever strike rather than an average strike.
In addition, you may be using your total distances (carry plus rollout), not carry distances (how far the ball travels in the air), to estimate yardages and choose clubs.
Other factors like wind, cold temperatures or slopes sometimes get overlooked. All of these things can impact the result of the shots.
Finally, sometimes you just don’t strike the ball well and it comes up short.
Things get worse as you get further from the hole
The data above shows how golfers miss short versus long on approach shots from over 50 yards. However, a clear trend emerges when we break it down by specific distances. The farther you are from the hole, the more likely you will miss short.
Part of this comes down to pure distance capability. For example, higher handicappers may not have a reliable 200-yard shot in the bag so coming up short is almost inevitable.
This is where a strategy shift can make a big difference. Instead of reaching for the longest club you hope will get there, choose a smarter, safer option. The goal is to stay in play and give yourself a better chance at scoring, not to force a shot out of your reach.
Shots Beyond 150 Yards
| Handicap | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short | 19% | 29% | 35% | 43% | 50% | 63% |
| Long | 6% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 4% |
Shots Beyond 200 Yards
| Handicap | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short | 35% | 54% | 56% | 72% | 78% | 95% |
| Long | 5% | 4% | 5% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Tips to fix the issue
Now that we have this information about golfers’ tendency to come up short versus long, how can we use it to help you shoot lower scores?
Nail down those carry distances
If you don’t know your carry distances, it’s time to figure them out. Spend time on a launch monitor or a driving range with clear yardage markers. It’s not enough to know how far your 7-iron could go. You need to know how far it usually carries. Use an average, not your best swing of the day.
Club up more often
Think back through your last few rounds of golf. Were you more likely to miss the green short or long? If you find yourself coming up short, start clubbing up more often and see how it impacts your greens in regulation percentage.
Try playing to the back of the green for a round
Golfers are more likely to play for the front or the middle of the green. Start playing for the back or at least the middle-back for a round of golf. Did you hit more greens in regulation?
Track your own misses, then practice them
Use a tool like Shot Scope Connex or the X5 GPS watch to start tracking your rounds. You’ll have usable data, as we shared above, that is specific to your game. From there, you can narrow down the actual distances for each club and practice the areas of your game where you are the weakest.
Final thoughts
Getting your golf club distances right should help you hit more greens in regulation and stop you coming up short. Start tracking today and see if it helps your game.
BCCCGolfer
10 months ago
My USGA Index ranges from 12-14 during the year and my percentage of short misses is 35% per the GHIN app. While there are times that I hit a ‘good’ shot that lands short or in the greenside bunker the majority of my short misses are from poor contact, not mis-clubbing. I’m not convinced that clubbing up is going to help thin or fat strikes, in fact the longer the club is the higher chance I have of poor contact.