How accurate are you from 130 yards?

[ghalfaire]

Not a statistic I keep but I am about 60% from 150 yards (an 8 iron for me) and less.  From 130 yards I would use either a 9 iron or PW depending upon the situation and would guess I'm hitting close to 75% from that range.  Don't keep averages first putt distance per GIRs but think I'll start as I don't have a clue to what my performance is today for this.

[SouthernILGolfer]

I would say i hit the green maybe 30-40% of the time,  was about 50% yesterday on my par 4's and one par 3 from near that distance, its an 8 iron for me, yesterday was an above average day in perfect conditions.   It rained earlier this morning here so my expectations for today(if I get to play at all because of the weather) are greatly diminished.   My misses arent as bad as they used to be, im usually within 5 yards or so from the green if i do miss from that distance so sometimes I can still make par.   I dont expect to stick it to a certain distance, anywhere on the green i see as a great success and then try to 2 putt and get my par.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by phillyk

While I do agree with you, would it make a difference in of hitting to a green that has a very high greenspeed making it hard to stop the ball even for players able to spin the ball (pros), versus us that play courses with relatively lower greenspeeds making it easier to stop the ball near the hole?

Well, these are long term averages, so hitting to hard and fast greens (more difficult) or soft greens (easier) should average out for the pros. For the amateurs, who knows?  Sometimes we play on cold, windy days, sometimes on still days.  My guess is that our percentages should average out as well.  For me anyway, hitting into a green with a 20 mph crosswind is very difficult.  On those days, I am happy just to hit the green, even from 130 yards.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

Pelz?  The same Pelz that determined on the same page that it didn't matter whether you were 5% away or 9% away, it's the short game?  This Pelz?:

Many people claim that the short game and putting are the most important determinants of golf

scores. For example, Pelz (1999, p.1) writes, “60% to 65% of all golf shots occur inside 100 yards

of the hole. More important, about 80% of the shots golfers lose to par occur inside 100 yards.”

Several academic studies have reached similar conclusions. In contrast, strokes gained analysis of

PGA TOUR data shows that the long game is the most important factor explaining the variability

in professional golf scores.

I'm curious, find me the Pelz data and then find out how he figured out where a person was aiming so he could measure the miss distance...particularly with Trevino.  Get on a launch monitor with an 8-iron, make the same swing over and over and see how you do.  You should have no problem hitting something less than 5% as a 2 index.  If that method were used, the guys on tour would be way below 4%.

The very same Pelz.  And the 5% vs 9% is very true.  Whether you hit it 12 feet or 25 feet away from the hole, chances are you won't make the putt.

If you have his Short Game Bible, you know how he got his numbers.  Certainly, no one can know exactly where someone was aiming unless they are asked, just like the Shot Track data doesn't ask.  But, chances are, the hole is the best place to measure from for approach shots.  Since Pelz caddied for a number of the players he gathered info on, I would guess he would have asked them exactly where they aimed, but I can't say for sure.

As far as using a launch monitor to measure, that has no relationship to golf on the course.  Unless it can replicate different temperature, wind directions, green speeds and undulations, ball lies and ground conditions, there is no way to correlate how well one hits on a monitor versus on the course. And, on the course, you get exactly one try.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

The very same Pelz.  And the 5% vs 9% is very true.  Whether you hit it 12 feet or 25 feet away from the hole, chances are you won't make the putt.

If you have his Short Game Bible, you know how he got his numbers.  Certainly, no one can know exactly where someone was aiming unless they are asked, just like the Shot Track data doesn't ask.  But, chances are, the hole is the best place to measure from for approach shots.  Since Pelz caddied for a number of the players he gathered info on, I would guess he would have asked them exactly where they aimed, but I can't say for sure.

As far as using a launch monitor to measure, that has no relationship to golf on the course.  Unless it can replicate different temperature, wind directions, green speeds and undulations, ball lies and ground conditions, there is no way to correlate how well one hits on a monitor versus on the course. And, on the course, you get exactly one try.

You're right.  I'm sorry for sounding snippy.  I guess I took the OP's post to mean "How precise can you expect to be from 130 yards?".  There's a whole lot that goes into the question as asked, as you pointed out earlier:  reading the wind, playing green slope, controlling spin, hitting the right line and trajectory, club selection....  I'm trying to say that, for me, when I get into the zone and repeat the same swing, I can never expect my swing to give me better than low 4's in terms of percentage.  That gives me some idea of the absolute best I can expect to do on the course from that distance, until I can repeat a shot more consistently.  When you add in all of the other factors, as if the question were instead "How close to the pin can you expect to get from 130 yards?", of course me, at 9.5 handicap is not better than the best guy on tour . And, I'm assuming it's a pin you would actually fire at....I don't know..  maybe 25 feet or so?  I think from that distance, to an accessible pin position, guys on tour are thinking birdie.  I'm going for birdie, but thinking par, if that gives you any indication...

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

You're right.  I'm sorry for sounding snippy.  I guess I took the OP's post to mean "How precise can you expect to be from 130 yards?".  There's a whole lot that goes into the question as asked, as you pointed out earlier:  reading the wind, playing green slope, controlling spin, hitting the right line and trajectory, club selection....  I'm trying to say that, for me, when I get into the zone and repeat the same swing, I can never expect my swing to give me better than low 4's in terms of percentage.  That gives me some idea of the absolute best I can expect to do on the course from that distance, until I can repeat a shot more consistently.  When you add in all of the other factors, as if the question were instead "How close to the pin can you expect to get from 130 yards?", of course me, at 9.5 handicap is not better than the best guy on tour  .  And, I'm assuming it's a pin you would actually fire at....I don't know..  maybe 25 feet or so?  I think from that distance, to an accessible pin position, guys on tour are thinking birdie.  I'm going for birdie, but thinking par, if that gives you any indication...

I think the best way to approach almost any hole is to try for birdie, but be happy with par.  After all, that would give you a score of 72 every time.  In reality, of course, we all think we can drop an 8 iron inside three feet, but it happens so rarely.  Even for the pros on TV.

Having a 25 foot birdie putt from 130 yards is a little worse than tour quality, but not by much. 5% (tour quality) of 130 yards is 19 1/2 feet. We should all be happy with 25 feet, but of course we aren't.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

I think the best way to approach almost any hole is to try for birdie, but be happy with par.  After all, that would give you a score of 72 every time.  In reality, of course, we all think we can drop an 8 iron inside three feet, but it happens so rarely.  Even for the pros on TV.

Having a 25 foot birdie putt from 130 yards is a little worse than tour quality, but not by much. 5% (tour quality) of 130 yards is 19 1/2 feet. We should all be happy with 25 feet, but of course we aren't.

I'm more than okay with the ball "finishing" 20 feet from the pin (hopefully short - uphill putt), but landing 20 feet long and then another 20 feet right or left can leave an up and down "opportunity".

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

I think the best way to approach almost any hole is to try for birdie, but be happy with par.  After all, that would give you a score of 72 every time.  In reality, of course, we all think we can drop an 8 iron inside three feet, but it happens so rarely.  Even for the pros on TV.

Having a 25 foot birdie putt from 130 yards is a little worse than tour quality, but not by much. 5% (tour quality) of 130 yards is 19 1/2 feet. We should all be happy with 25 feet, but of course we aren't.

True.  I was out playing 9-holes today and walking off my first putt distance.  I had a lot in the 7 paces or so range, so something around 21 feet.  My average first putt distance was 20.7 for the round, but that includes some approaches less than 100 yards, including a 40 yarder that I stiffed and nearly holed, as well as a bunch of chips that one expects to get close.  I only had three from around 130 yards.  I hit one to 7 paces, the other to 9 paces and the last missed short of the green due to a club selection error.  I think it probably would have been 25 feet or so if I'd had the right club.  Initial results say 25 feet would be a well-struck shot for me.  I'm still accumulating all the data to keep a long-term average, but so far it seems to be around 25 feet.  One big thing I noticed, hitting the green to 20 feet from the pin is really not that far away at all.  It sounds far, but it just isn't, so certainly, as you point out, no one should be embarrassed by averages in the twenties....

[Paradox]

130 is about an 80% pitching wedge for me and I'd say I hit it right where I want to, how I want to probably 40% of the time, max.  My usual miss distance from that range is probably in the range of 5-10 yards max.  I'm always going for the pin from inside 140 unless its just a completely ridiculous pin/green combo.  my PW is my favorite club and I feel absolutely confident when I have it in my hands.

[ghalfaire]

Originally Posted by ghalfaire

Not a statistic I keep but I am about 60% from 150 yards (an 8 iron for me) and less.  From 130 yards I would use either a 9 iron or PW depending upon the situation and would guess I'm hitting close to 75% from that range.  Don't keep averages first putt distance per GIRs but think I'll start as I don't have a clue to what my performance is today for this.

Well as life would have it after bragging on my iron play yesterday I didn't have a single GIR and only hit 33% of the greens inside of 130 yards.  It was windy (25-30 MPH gusts), and the course had all elevated greens and they were indeed firm.  But Mommy told there would be days like that.  The only good thing about the round was I made $10 off my buddies and putted lights out with 29 putts and no three putts (Lotta nice chips/pitches).

[Gioguy21]

5-10 yards...

[Steel]

for me it depends on the day, pin placement and the course.  If the fairways are cut really tight and the greens are holding the ball I find it a lot easier to get the ball close, pin placement is also key, I draw the ball, so back right is impossible, I just hit it into the middle, back left, piece of cake, on good greens and fairways I can back the ball up 5-15 feet.  The biggest variable is me, if I'm in the "zone" I can hit them inside 15 feet 50% of the time, if I'm not I'm happy being inside 25 feet.  I rarely miss the green from 100-130 yards, yardage for me is between PW and 9 iron

[WarEagleDave]

That distance is either a 52 deg. wedge or a PW, depending on conditions. I'm disappointed if I'm not within 25 feet or so.