Golf is becoming more and more of a statistics game, and these 10 stats dispel some myths you may have about golfers and may teach you a thing or two about your own game too. The stats in this article come courtesy of Arccos Golf, with data gleaned from more than 540 million shots from 11.5 million rounds worldwide using its Smart Sensors.
1. 5 handicappers from 150 yards in the fairway
Inside 10ft: 6% of the time
You might think that 5 handicappers are lethal from 150 yards in the middle of the fairway with a 7 or 8 iron, but according to the stats they only get it inside 10ft of the pin 6% of the time, averaging 1.2 birdies per round. They hit 46% of greens in regulation and average 28ft with GIR approaches and 54ft with all approaches to the green. If you play off 5 and don't get it inside 10ft with your 7 iron, go easy on yourself.
2. What distance to hit the green roughly 50% of the time
20 index: 92 yards
15 index: 110 yards
10 index: 129 yards
5 index: 147 yards
0 index: 165 yards
Golfers hitting the green around about 50% of the time differs drastically with skill level unsurprisingly, with a 73 yard gap between 20 handicaps and scratch players. The average 20 handicapper has around a one in two chance of finding the green from 92 yards, going all the way back to 165 yards for scratch players. The distance changes by around 18 yards for every five strokes on handicap.
3. Fairways found with driver - 5 handicaps
The average 5 handicapper misses more fairways than they hit with driver
5 handicaps find the fairway 49.7% of the time with driver
You might think that 5 handicappers find fairway after fairway, but the data shows that they actually hit just under 50% of fairways with driver. Taking a 3 wood ups that chance by just under 3% at 52.6%, showing that maybe 3 wood isn't always worth hitting compared to driver. Overall, 5 handicaps average 245 yards off the tee but are probably more wayward than you might think.
4. Chipping - 10 handicaps
The typical 10 handicapper is more likely to leave it outside 20ft than to hit it inside 5ft from 15 yards in the rough
When it comes to chipping from the rough 15 yards from the hole, 10 handicaps are more likely to leave their ball outside of 20ft than inside 5ft. From inside 25 yards, 10 handicaps average 16ft and get it up-and-down 37% of the time. Play off of 10? Work on your chipping and your handicap should come tumbling down.
5. BOGEYS - 5 HANDICAPS
The average 5 handicap player makes bogey or worse 44% of the time
The typical 5 handicap makes bogey or worse 44% of the time
5 handicappers make bogey or worse on 44% of holes, although that does mean that they make par or better 56% of the time. This equates to 6.4 bogeys around, with 5 handicappers averaging 1.2 birdies, 8.9 pars and 1.6 doubles or worse.
6. From 75 yards - 5 handicaps
5 index players more likely to make bogey than birdie from 75 yards
A 5 handicapper is more likely to make a bogey from 75 yards than birdie from the fairway. They get up-and-down for birdie just 11% of the time and go on to make bogey or worse 22% of the time. If you play off 5 and want to get your handicap down, make sure you work on your wedges from inside 100 yards to help you avoid bogeys.
7. From 15ft - 12 handicaps
The average 12-handicapper is more likely to three-putt from 12ft than hole out according to the stats
From 15ft, 12 handicappers 3-putt more than they hole out
A 12 handicapper is more likely to three-putt than hole-out from 15ft...yes you read that right! Overall, 12 handicaps average a total of 2.9 three-putts per round, 1.9 putts per hole, 2.2 putts per GIR and a 34 putts per 18 holes.
8. Drives over 275 yards
Percentage of driver shots hit 275 yards or longer:
- Scratch - 18%
- 5 index - 13%
- 10 index - 6%
- 15 index - 3%
- 20 index - 2%
The data on how far golfers hit their drives shows that lower handicappers hit the ball longer off the tee on average and these numbers offer up some fascinating insight. If you play off of 20 and drive it over 275 yards, you're doing very well!
9. 90 yards - 10 handicaps
10 index player from 90 yards in the fairway: 6% chances they get down in two
10 handicaps get up-and-down from 90 yards just 6% of the time, and take four or more to get down 36% of the time. Play off of 10 and want to get to single figures? Work on your wedges.
10. Scratch players from 160 yards
From 160 yards in the fairway, a scratch player will hit the green and be less than 20ft from the hole 19% of the time
Scratch players, from 160 yards in the fairway, get it inside 20ft just under one in five times. Zero index golfers average 56% of greens in regulation, with an average of 26ft on GIR approaches and 44ft on all shots into the green. Learn more about scratch handicap golfer stats and see how scratch vs 18 handicappers compare.
-
The Three Most Confusing Rules In Golf And How To Interpret ThemAt times, golf’s rules can be complex and confusing. Here we look at three of the most confusing rules in golf and give you the info you need to understand them.
-
There's A Growing Divide Between Club Members And Nomadic Golfers When It Comes To Handicapping... And I'm Concerned About ItSome golfers believe competition play should be a pre-requisite to achieving a ‘valid’ handicap, while others feel you should be able to submit a card whenever you want
-
Amateur Golfers Make Less Than 40 Percent Of Putts From This Crucial Length'... Arccos Data Reveals Stark Putting TruthsWhen standing over a 'makeable' putt, many golfers would fancy their chances as they pull the putter head back... But this data might make them think twice!
-
Fresh Data Shows The Age Amateur Golfers Hit Their Longest Drives... Is This True For You?Driving distance isn't everything, but data suggests longer tee shots can lead to a lower handicap. So, at what age do amateur golfers hit their longest drives?
-
Data Reveals How Many 3-Putts Amateur Golfers Make Per Round3-putts are extremely frustrating and damaging to your scorecard, but how often do they occur for amateur golfers in the average round? This data reveals all...
-
Heading To The 1st Tee? Stop Right There! This Data Proves Why The Range Might Be A Better Choice...Getting better at golf requires more than just playing regularly on the course, with the data suggesting that practise time could be the key to success...
-
How Close To The Pin Do Amateur Golfers Hit Their Approach Shots?We often set unrealistic expectations on the golf course, which can leave us feeling deflated, so just how close can we expect to get with our approach shots?
-
Is It Better To Miss The Green In The Bunker Or Rough? The Data Is Clear Cut...When assessing options for your next approach shot, this data will help you make better decisions on the 'good' miss and reduce the risk of bringing bogey into play
-
Why You DON'T Need To Make More Birdies To Chop 5 Shots Off Your HandicapFor a mid-handicap golfer, the route towards shooting lower scores and improving your handicap index is clear... if you have access to the right data!
-
How Far Do Amateur Golfers Hit Their Irons? Find Out How You Compare…Ever wondered how your iron shots compare to other golfers in terms of distance? The latest Arccos data reveals all...
