Most golfers think about putting in terms of how many putts they make in a round.
That number matters but it does not tell the whole story. The way golfers miss putts reveals just as much about skill level.
Two players can have similar putts per round while missing in very different ways. One might consistently roll the ball past the hole while another struggles with distance control and leaves putts short.
Shot Scope handicap data from scratch through 25 handicap shows how those patterns change across skill levels. When you look at where putts are missed along with make percentages, a few clear trends begin to show up on the greens.
Putting performance and miss patterns by handicap
| Handicap | Putts per Round | Make % (0-3 feet) | Make % (6-9 feet) | Miss Long | Miss Short |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scratch | 29.9 | 98% | 49% | 58% | 42% |
| 5 | 30.3 | 96% | 44% | 54% | 45% |
| 10 | 31.2 | 96% | 39% | 52% | 48% |
| 15 | 32.1 | 93% | 36% | 45% | 55% |
| 20 | 33.4 | 90% | 33% | 45% | 55% |
| 25 | 34.3 | 88% | 30% | 41% | 59% |
Better players run putts past the hole
One of the clearest differences in the data is pace.
Scratch golfers miss long 58 percent of the time. Their putts are more likely to reach the hole with enough speed to drop. They give themselves a chance.
As handicap increases that pattern flips. By the time you reach a 25 handicap, nearly 60 percent of missed putts come up short. Many golfers are protecting against a comeback putt instead of giving the first putt a chance to fall.
The biggest putting gap appears from six to 12 feet
The largest separation between skill levels shows up in the mid-range.
From six to nine feet, scratch golfers convert 49 percent of their putts. A 25 handicap makes 30 percent. From nine to 12 feet, scratch golfers make 34 percent while a 25 handicap drops to 17 percent.
Those are the putts that turn good approach shots into birdies or easy pars. When stronger players get inside this range, they convert far more often.
Short putts still separate players
Even from close range, there is a noticeable difference. Scratch golfers convert 98 percent of putts inside three feet. A 25 handicap makes 88 percent. Ten percentage points may not sound dramatic but over the course of a round, those misses add up quickly.
Final thoughts
If there is one takeaway from the data, it is that better players are simply more willing to get the ball to the hole. A putt that finishes two feet past the cup leaves the same comeback distance as a putt that stops two feet short but only one of those putts ever had a chance to drop.
If you are looking for one simple place to start improving your putting, focus on getting the ball to the hole consistently and letting the putt have a chance to fall.
BostonGolfer
3 months ago
What this data is telling me is going from a 10 handicap to a scratch, putting is just ~ 13% of that equation and only 8% if you’re trying to go from a 5 to scratch. It looks like it’s 17% when trying to go from a 25 to scratch. That isn’t to say putting isn’t important, but it’s relative importance is less than what I expected. Anecdotally, I often hear improve your putting and you’ll improve your scores fast, but the data here suggests that isn’t the case. Just a different way to look at the data. As always, MGS presents interesting data that is helpful in many ways. I will be working on my speed control.
Kyle
3 months ago
The make rate from 9 feet on the pga tour is not even as high as the Scratch rate here. I font believe the stats used in this article.
Sean
3 months ago
It’s shot scope data, which in regard to putting is incredibly unreliable. I’ve used Shotscope for years and the putting element of it is so inaccurate and so annoying that the only take I would use it for is for how many putts you take. I have to remap pretty much every putt of every round except for tap ins, and you can never really map just where you were on every green retrospectively as we can only estimate how far we were.
Shotscope is great for driving, irons and short game stats, but it’s not great at all on Putting.