Whats Your Average Distance on 1st Putt?

[snapfade]

According to Aimpoint, the average first putt across the board is 16ft. (Tour pros have an 14% chance of making a 20 footer in one stroke.) What is your average distance? I haven't been keeping track, but I will now. 

[The Flush]

About 5 times what it is on my third putt.

[Patch]

My first putt, over all average length is about 5 feet. Yep, I said 5 feet. Sounds impressive. I know.

Here's the deal. I don't hit a lot of greens in regulation. So what would normally be my first putt, is usually a green side chip shot. I am a good chipper. I make a lot those left over 5 foot putts for par. 

Now with a GIR, my first putt is probably around. 25+/- feet due to alot of roll after the carry. If I could hit 150 yard flop shots, that number would be lower....lol

 

[Vinsk]

7 hours ago, snapfade said:

According to Aimpoint, the average first putt across the board is 16ft. (Tour pros have an 14% chance of making a 20 footer in one stroke.) What is your average distance? I haven't been keeping track, but I will now. 

What board?

[David in FL]

I miss a lot of greens, so probably under 12’-15’.

[Bonvivant]

If I hit the green in regulation it is probably somewhere over 30 ft. If I don't then it's closer usually, but not as close as it needs to be. I don't think that this is a very good measure, because it could take you 4 or 5 strokes just to get on the green on some holes. Obviously proximity still matters, but you aren't measuring anything special when the putt is already for double.

[Osnola]

20'  give or take a couple of feet.  

[snapfade]

15 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

What board?

I paraphrased Jamie Donaldson of AimPoint Golf in his discussion of average length putts. He said, 16ft was the average no matter who you are. Which led me to create this topic.

 

 

 

15 minutes ago, Bonvivant said:

If I hit the green in regulation it is probably somewhere over 30 ft. If I don't then it's closer usually, but not as close as it needs to be. I don't think that this is a very good measure, because it could take you 4 or 5 strokes just to get on the green on some holes. Obviously proximity still matters, but you aren't measuring anything special when the putt is already for double.

I agree with your last sentence, but I would like to make that 6ft down hill double break for double bogey. lol

[Bonvivant]

4 minutes ago, snapfade said:

I paraphrased Jamie Donaldson of AimPoint Golf in his discussion of average length putts. He said, 16ft was the average no matter who you are. Which led me to create this topic.

 

 

 

I agree with your last sentence, but I would like to make that 6ft down hill double break for double bogey. lol

Sure, so would everyone, and AimPoint helps with it, but the 16ft thing just doesn't really add up for me. We would all like to hole more putts, but wouldn't that be easier if your first putt was under that 16 ft average? I would imagine that the person that hits the most GiR on tour has one of the less impressive average first putt distances, because they are not stuffing it every time, whereas someone with a lower GiR percentage probably also has a lower 1st putt average distance. I would much rather be the former player, because putting is objectively easier than chipping. I would take a 50 of 70 foot average first putt if that meant that I was on the green in regulation every hole.

[snapfade]

9 minutes ago, Bonvivant said:

Sure, so would everyone, and AimPoint helps with it, but the 16ft thing just doesn't really add up for me. We would all like to hole more putts, but wouldn't that be easier if your first putt was under that 16 ft average? I would imagine that the person that hits the most GiR on tour has one of the less impressive average first putt distances, because they are not stuffing it every time, whereas someone with a lower GiR percentage probably also has a lower 1st putt average distance. I would much rather be the former player, because putting is objectively easier than chipping. I would take a 50 of 70 foot average first putt if that meant that I was on the green in regulation every hole.

A 50-70 foot putt that keeps me in regulation is not going to do me any favors, that's a long way for me to roll a ball. I think then it boils down to approach shot and getting inside 10 feet or so. Its always something. 

[Bonvivant]

35 minutes ago, snapfade said:

A 50-70 foot putt that keeps me in regulation is not going to do me any favors, that's a long way for me to roll a ball. I think then it boils down to approach shot and getting inside 10 feet or so. Its always something. 

I think that if you found yourself at this range frequently, your lag putting would improve and you would be making more pars (2 putts) than bogeys (3 putts). Whereas if you constantly have a 8-10 foot par putt, you are making bogey more than half the time.

[snapfade]

The one thing I can say I am proud of is my ability to not 3 putt very often. Im used to my greens, I know how they break for the most part and I can get  pretty close on a long putt. But that doesn't mean, my first putt is for birdie, or par for that matter.  I have and will 3 putt of course, but i'm going to step it off and try to get an average of how close I am to the pin and go from there. There are 2 options of course that are no brainers, get closer to the pin on an approach, and work on the lag putting. Im off to play in a few minutes so I will probably 3 putt every hole, thanks!

[iacas]

I have no idea, nor do I have any idea why I should care.

Someone who plays a course with larger greens will have a higher average than someone who plays a course with smaller greens.

[TRUCKER]

15 hours ago, iacas said:

I have no idea, nor do I have any idea why I should care.

Someone who plays a course with larger greens will have a higher average than someone who plays a course with smaller greens.

🤔...🤝

[DaveP043]

I actually do have an idea, my first putt over the last 15 or 16 rounds averages a little over 22 feet.  I know this because I began using @RandallT's strokes gained putting spreadsheet last fall, after converting it (mostly) to work with Excel.  That average includes all first putts, whether a result of chipping or pitching or short irons or long iron shots or whatever.  It doesn't include the effect of the one or two times I managed to hole a shot from off the green.   As @iacassuggests, it doesn't seem like a very meaningful, statistic, as its influenced by a lot of factors.  

[cooke119]

Always to long. My chipping is the worst part of my game which I am working on but where to practice?? Hitting off of mats is one thing but hitting off of grass with varying lies is another. I don't really have anyplace to practice off of grass. I use to go to a school yard with a shag bag but the school stopped that.

My average first putt I would say is 15 to 20 feet. But I am a good lag putter, (from lots of pratice). On a par 4 I'm usually on in 3 but I end up walking off with a six of seven. I hate those three footers that I miss, really pisses me off.

[gbogey]

What I do to track putting distances uses ranges, but using my last 20 rounds:

• 359 first putts
• 142 10 feet and in
• 166 16 feet and out
• 51   11-15 feet

Based upon this the median putt is around 14-15 feet.  I know the median isn't the average but close enough.

The original statement at the beginning of the op is interesting but not sure what it tells you.  More meaningful to understand it in particular contexts.  For example, I hit my chips/pitches to 5 ft. 42% of the time.

[dagolfer18]

If I had to guess, my first putt distance is usually about 18-20 ft.