The dreaded three putt, arguably one of the most, if not the most, annoying things to happen to you when on the golf course. It kills momentum, creates doubt, and has an uncanny ability to appear when you least expect it, but how common are they? We look at the data.
The ever-growing Shot Scope performance database allows us to see how three-putting tendencies change with handicap and some potential causes.
At Shot Scope, we analyzed data from thousands of rounds to see how three-putting frequency changes across handicap brackets and identified the key factors that cause those extra strokes.
Three-Putts by Handicap
Shot Scope performance data shows a clear relationship between handicap and three-putt likelihood: as handicap increases, so too does the golfer’s chances of three-putting.
Average Holes per Three-Putt
| Handicap | Average Holes per 3-Putt |
| 5 HCP | 16.7 holes |
| 15 HCP | 9.7 holes |
| 25 HCP | 7.6 holes |
Where the single figure handicapper is close to a full round without a three whack, we see with each increase in handicap that the number of holes before the player is ‘due one’ decreases, with the 25 handicapper looking at a minimum of two per round.
Of course, these figures are by no means guarantees. There will be times when you have no three-putts on the course and others where it feels like you have one every other hole. They are simply averages and should help somewhat with expectation management. Players of all abilities are susceptible to a three-putt from time to time.
Why do golfers three-putt?
Leaving putts short is one of the biggest contributors to three putts. In fact, when the typical golfer (15hcp) three-putts, the average distance left for their second putt is 8ft.
This is echoed by Shot Scope Ambassador Wayne Radar Riley in our Play Smarter series, where he confirms that the average golfer leaves 55% of their putts short of the hole.
As with three-putt likelihood, when handicap increases, the likelihood of leaving a putt short increases too, with the 25hcp golfer leaving 59% of their putts shy of the hole.
Players looking to reduce the number of three-putts in their game should look at their distance control. Good distance control is a crucial component of minimising three-putts.
Want to dive even deeper into Performance Data?
Check out our Annual Golf Performance Report for free here.
How to Reduce Your Three-Putts
If you want to reduce your chances of a three-putt when you play, there are a couple of things to work on:
- Distance control: Leaving fewer putts short and by a lesser margin puts less pressure on the second putt.
- Short putt proficiency: Ensuring you are confident and capable of holing any and all putts from inside 3ft. A 25hcp from inside 3ft holes 9 in every 10 putts. From 3-6ft, their likelihood of holing it drops significantly to just worse than 50/50 odds. Frequent misses at close range are losing you strokes on everyone.
Start Tracking Your Game
The only way to accurately measure your game against your fellow player is through performance tracking.
Shot Scope’s Handicap Benchmarking feature allows golfers to compare their game against players of a similar level and lower (or higher) to see where they are gaining or losing strokes, including on the greens. You also gain access to over 100 other tour-level statistics, including Strokes Gained, at no additional cost and with no subscription fees.
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