X handicap = ? putts per round

[bjwestner]

Does anyone know of a chart or table available that shows handicap and what the average expected putts per round for that handicap is?    I know that there are a lot of variables but I thought I heard or saw somewhere once that if you were averaging a score of under 90 a round that would equal about 38-40 putts or something like that.

It seems that almost all the pga tour players average 30 or less putts per round (the leader was at 27 and change per round, I believe).  Thus I was just trying to get an idea of how many putts a 10, 11, 12, etc handicapper would have.

It's winter time and I'm pouring over all my stats from this year and trying to figure out where I stand in many categories.  My hc is 14.9 and I've played 55 rounds of golf so far.  I've averaged 1.90 putts per hole or 34.2/round.  This is not entirely accurate as I am now aware that putts from fringe/just off green do not count as official putts but I counted them anyway.  Thanks for your help......

[Golfingdad]

38-40 putts seems pretty high.  I am a pretty crappy putter (well maybe not crappy, but I rarely practice) and I average about 32 per round.  Even guys I play with who shoot 100 aren't going to be much over 36 putts per round I think.

[carrx]

It's very difficult to predict.  Yes, tour players may average 27 putts per round, but that doesn't mean much as compared to the average "good player".  Tour players probably average 14-15 GIR per round, and their percentages for saving par from off the green are off the charts good.

My index varies between approximately 2.7 and about 4.5, depending on how well and how much I'm playing.  I average 10-12 greens in regulation, and if I have fewer than 30 putts in a round, it either means I scored great, or it means I hit way fewer greens and was chipped/pitched well.

For example, if I hit 14 green in regulation, and make 3 birdies (about average), that means I have at least 25 putts for those 14-holes, plus another 1-2 for the others.  Assuming I had 0 3-putts (wishful thinking!), I would play great and still have 29 putts if I 1-putted all four of the greens I missed in regulation .

More frequently, I might hit 11 greens, make 2 birdies (1 putt variety), with 1 3-putt (equalling 21 putts), then have about a 50/50 conversion ratio for the greens missed (figure another 10 putts, 3.5 one putts, 3.5 2 putts), which equals about 31 putts.

There may be a conversion table out there by handicap, but there are many variables to consider.  If you are having 38-40 putts per round, then you either hit a lot of greens in regulation and are frustrated, or you are probably shooting somewhere in the 90s or higher.

[gwlee7]

I had 20 putts and shot 80 not too long ago.  The better chipper you are, the fewer putts you'll have.    I have also had 37 putts and shot 73.

[Dave2512]

I track all that and I average 34 putts per round.

[carrx]

  gwlee7 said:

Originally Posted by gwlee7

I had 20 putts and shot 80 not too long ago.  The better chipper you are, the fewer putts you'll have.    I have also had 37 putts and shot 73.

20 putts for 18 holes is outrageous!  Either you are secretly Stan Utley, or you had a career day around the greens...or you aren't counting all of your putts.  :)

[Golfingdad]

  gwlee7 said:

Originally Posted by gwlee7

I had 20 putts and shot 80 not too long ago.  The better chipper you are, the fewer putts you'll have.    I have also had 37 putts and shot 73.

That's awesome, I think my best ever is 27, maybe 26?

  carrx said:

Originally Posted by carrx

20 putts for 18 holes is outrageous!  Either you are secretly Stan Utley, or you had a career day around the greens...or you aren't counting all of your putts.  :)

No he's a really good ball striker and intentionally hit all of his approaches onto the fringe. :)

[dsc123]

source: http://www.golf.com/instruction/why-you-3-putt-and-how-stop

[dennyjones]

I average about 34 putts per round but my instructor suggested that putting wasn't my biggest problem.   GIR was more of a factor than putts even though I thought my putting sucked.   My first putts were usually very long which then made it a challenge to not three putt.    His logic made sense to me once you see that very few of the PGA pros make the long putts either.   But their lag putts were much better.

[gwlee7]

  carrx said:

20 putts for 18 holes is outrageous!  Either you are secretly Stan Utley, or you had a career day around the greens...or you aren't counting all of your putts.  :)

I apologize for the mistake. It was 25 putts that day. I had a lot of one putt bogies and chipped the ball close all day. When you miss as many greens as I do, you get a lot of practice.

[meenman]

I average 32.5 putts per round, the number was slightly lower before 5 rounds with a new putter, but i average 1.5 GIRs per round so my number is kind of garbage.

[Harmonious]

30.8 putts per round for 2012.  About 11 GIR.  Had three rounds with 26 putts (best) and one round with 35 putts (worst). Really going to try to get that number under 30 this year.

[Stretch]

You can sort of back into it using the following formula: SCORE = 95 - (2*GIR). This should be accurate to within one stroke 90 percent of the time when you average any four or more rounds. If it's not -- then your putting is either better or worse than average, depending on which direction the number is off.

For shorthand, the expected putts work out something like this.

Handicap -- Putts per round.

36 - 41

18 - 35

9 - 32

4.5 - 30

0 - 29

[killo]

I never really kept track of my average putts until I got a Skycaddie. I have played 35 rounds with it and am averaging 34 putts/round. My high is 39 twice and have had 3 sub 30 rounds with a low of 24. Very few greens hit that day but my short game was working.

[Beachcomber]

  Stretch said:

You can sort of back into it using the following formula: SCORE = 95 - (2*GIR). This should be accurate to within one stroke 90 percent of the time when you average any four or more rounds. If it's not -- then your putting is either better or worse than average, depending on which direction the number is off. For shorthand, the expected putts work out something like this. Handicap -- Putts per round. 36 - 41 18 - 35  9 - 32 4.5 - 30  0 - 29

So my putting is closer to a 9 handicap. Oops guess I need to practice putting more? I'm a 4.2 hdcp putting 1.8 per hole, which is 32/33 putts per rd.

[bubble]

anything up to 34-36 putts is too much on average.

it depends on your ball striking, I;E.  number of greens as well as how bad your misses are around the green.

personnally my all game average is just under 32 putts yet only 5 greens on average.

it is quit difficule to get a low putting average as 28 putts is more rare than 34-36.

nevertheless the only thing I look at while playing is if I roll the ball well in the desired direction. missing close with a good roll is still a very good putt !

[boogielicious]

bjwestner,

I average 31.8 per round with best at 26 and worst (ugh) 41.  Your average is decent, but it shows where you can improve.  I worked a lot on putting and green reading (AimPoint) and it helped a lot.  If you work in short game practice with chipping, pitching and sand, you will see additional improvement.  My putts pre GIR is 2.0 and per missed GIR 1.7.  This shows I am getting it close with my short game, but still need work.

[Effington]

  dennyjones said:

Originally Posted by dennyjones

I average about 34 putts per round but my instructor suggested that putting wasn't my biggest problem.   GIR was more of a factor than putts even though I thought my putting sucked.   My first putts were usually very long which then made it a challenge to not three putt.    His logic made sense to me once you see that very few of the PGA pros make the long putts either.   But their lag putts were much better.

Sounds about right and it is the same thing the article above from Sports illustrated says.

Can't blame yourself for not hitting all your 10 footers... but you can blame yourself for three putting.  The big issue is when your first putt is so bad that your second putt is the 10 footer...