Instruction
The King of All Golf Stats? First Putt Distance
If you were going to track one stat and one stat only on each round you played to help lower your scores, which stat would it be? GIR? Fairways Hit? Putts Per Round?
If you are a tour player, your answer might be that just one stat would not cut it. At the highest level of competition, golfers need to know where they stand on every single stat possible to analyze their entire game against their fellow competitors. For the average player, however, that’s a little complicated. It’s difficult and also time consuming to try to track every stat on every hole for every round you play. In addition, you might not need the most advanced statistical analysis to identify areas of your golf game that need the most attention.
You didn’t have to ace statistics to track golf stats
I don’t consider myself to be the smartest person in the room, but I have always been a hard worker. In college, I graduated in 4]four years playing competitive golf year round and managed a 3.5 GPA. However, one of the 2 “C”s I received in college was in — guess what — statistics!
I hated the class and simply just didn’t grasp it that well. I wasn’t much better with statistics on the golf course to be honest. I played collegiate golf in the early 90’s and while I’m sure some coaches were tracking detailed stats, ours was not. Of course, everyone was tracking scoring average, but they weren’t tracking all the individual stats that have now become common. When I turned professional I should have, would have, could have done a much better job of tracking my stats and analyzing my weak spots. If only I could turn back time.
In any case, golf statistics have evolved and exploded since then, and online stat trackers have popped up everywhere. Golfers and instructors are realizing the insights that any golfer can get from studying their stats from rounds of golf. I decided that instead of getting left behind, I better join the movement. So when my partners and I set out to create the MyGolfInstructor.com Game Tracker, we wanted to create a tool that anyone could use to easily track the stats they wanted, but more importantly, to give the golfer a detailed analysis of their game based on those stats. We wanted this not only to allow golfers to analyze their stats, but to have a tool whereby the instructor offers targeted analysis on those stats as well. In some cases, golfers see the stats they want to see, but an unbiased analysis of your golf stats can reveal even more opportunities for improvement. Use of the Game Tracker has helped me to improve my student’s games quicker and more efficiently than ever before. It’s not all about swing and mechanics anymore. It’s not all about mental game, physical fitness and equipment either. It’s about finding the really weak areas of the game first and attacking them from every angle. Numbers don’t lie.
When I started analyzing stats for the first time with rounds entered into our Game Tracker, I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed. Where should I start with each student? What stat is the most important? Which part of the game should they try to improve first? It’s easy to get caught up in the usual stats: Putts, Fairways Hit and Greens in Regulation. After a couple of months though, I quickly became comfortable and efficient at being able to target the weak point on each card. I soon noticed an interesting trend.
The King of All Stats: First Putt Distance
My eyes would always jump to the putting stats first because it seems to be the easiest place for the average player to improve and is also the easiest place for the average player to waste a myriad of shots. Anyone who read my previous article The 5 Principles of Putting, knows that it is a part of the game I feel the average player can compete to the level of a tour pro. There was something beyond the total number of putts, however, that stood out on every card. I nicknamed it “The King of All Stats:” First Putt Distance.
Your first putt distance is a crucial stat.
First Putt Distance is the key to so much information about a player’s game and it syncs up well with four other common stats:
- Putts per round.
- Made putt distance.
- Chipping.
- Approach club.
Obviously, First Putt Distance tells us why a golfer’s putting average is high or low. If someone is always hitting their first putt from more than 20 feet, then I’m not surprised when they come in with putting rounds consistently averaging above 31 or 33 putts per round (the target I set for my students). If I know their first putt was from 30 feet and the putt they made was from 10, then I know their speed control stinks. You can see by the chart below pulled from our Game Tracker that the average first putt is a strong 15 feet.
While this is way better than I would have guessed for most players, it still makes it difficult to make one putts and our stats show that most golfers rarely make their first putt. We know from Dave Pelz’ research that tour players make only 50 percent of their putts from 6 feet, so we know for the average player to leave a putt outside of 6 feet makes the chances of sinking it miniscule. As far as Made Putt Distance goes, this graph clearly shows that 3 feet is the range where the average player can sink a putt.
According to Dave Pelz, tour players make 92 percent of putts from this distance, so it makes sense that it would be an easier range for the everyday golfer as well.
First Putt Distance also tells me a lot about a golfer’s chipping skills. If I can see that a player had to chip on seven holes and then I’m able to look and see that their first putts are always outside of 10 feet, then I know we have a problem in the short game. As you can see by the chart below, the average number of chips per round is 10! This one was much higher than I thought it would be, but again it emphasizes how important skilled chipping is to lowering that First Putt Distance stat.
The approach club used can signal weaknesses
The other key stat that gives us a lot of information is approach club. Again, if their First Putt Distance is always 20+ feet, then I know they aren’t hitting the ball tight to the pin. This prompts me to see what clubs they are hitting that are leaving them with such long first putts, and then we have clubs to target with improved ball striking. Our research shows that the difference between a “good” golfer and an “average/bad” golfer when it comes to these numbers is that a “good” golfer does a lot better on approaches. Maybe they aren’t consistent with having the first putt on the green being a makeable distance, but frequently getting a good approach gives them a better chance at a one putt and less of a chance of three putting.
It’s easy to see that every golfer should chart their First Putt Distance, as it gives them great insight into how well they are putting, chipping and approaching the green. Unfortunately only 15 percent of golfers on the Game Tracker track this vital stat. It’s as simple as taking the time to walk off the length of your first putt while you are going through your pre-shot routine and lining up your putt. If you aren’t already, start tracking your First Putt Distance this summer and I promise you that you will quickly gain insight into what part of your game is really adding the strokes. Here is a link to our Game Tracker to help get you started.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Nagah
Apr 22, 2014 at 7:26 am
Thats why I practice only lagging 30/25/20 down to 12 feet. Statistically I have a small chance of holing a put from outside 12 feet as apposed to the opposite stat of 3 putting by being aggressive on my first putt being high.
I played in a comp today and stiffed about 3 approaches inside 10 feet and only converted one for birdie. Im not a bad putter btw just that the stats seen to indicate the amateurs only hole about 40% of putts 6 to 10 feet from the hole.
Iceman
Apr 22, 2014 at 1:57 pm
Nagah,
I do something similar, except that I focus on lagging to within 1 to 2 feet. Prior to rounds at a course, I focus almost solely on lag putting (20 to 30+ feet) with a hand full of short putts (usually the second putt from the original lag effort). The idea is that if you can control speed / direction from distance shorter putts by definition are easier.
I typically only focus on putts less than 10 feet at home, where I practice a ton of 10, 5 and 3 foot putts on my indoor putting mat.
Greg coleman
Apr 24, 2014 at 8:12 am
Maria insightful stat, makes intuitive sense and is indeed pretty easy to get even if u r lazy like me. . Btw Mark Brodie ( of Every Shot Counts fame and the strokes gained putting creator) has updated Pelz’ data . It is now 50/50 for a tour player at 8 feet not 6 feet. Among other things it shows I’m even a worse putter than I thought.
Greg
Maria Palozola
May 4, 2014 at 6:27 pm
Thanks Greg. That’s good information to know. Wow…they just keep getting better and better don’t they!
Iceman
Apr 21, 2014 at 8:33 pm
Very interesting article.
That said, I agree with the other comments, FPD as a stand alone stat is not the holy grail of metrics. I play upwards of 90 rounds per year, and track GIRs, quality drives (e.g., FIRs or just off the fairway), number of chips, number of putts, and comments on stroke quality (e.g, solid contact / fat / thin / pull / pushes / etc.). Analyzing these stats post-round clearly illustrate the areas of my game where I struggled / performed well.
FPD is a good stat to add to the list, but even without it I tend to know if my proximity to the hole was “off” for a round (based on comments on stroke quality).
Maria Palozola
Apr 21, 2014 at 10:12 pm
Hi Iceman. Thanks for taking the time to read and thanks for the comments. If I could track one stat and one stat only for my students I’ve learned that First Putt Distance is the one that gets us the farthest in improving their games quickly.
If you could only track one stat to improve your game which would it be? Please throw out the common ones that are already tracked like total putts, GIR and Fairways Hit.
Iceman
Apr 22, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Maria,
If I could track only one stat it would be the number of quality strokes per round. Where strokes with solid / pure contact in which the resulting shot travels 1a. on the intended trajectory, 1b. the intended distance, and 1c. in the intended direction are considered a quality stroke.
Fat/heavy, thin/bladed, and slices/hooks are considered poor strokes. Even pushes/pulls may be considered poor strokes (though the degree of a push/pull is relative to the distance, target, club selection and purpose of stroke).
In my view, quality strokes per round applies to drives, full/partial iron shots, pitches, chips, punch shots, and even putts (though distance / direction typically only matter with putting).
I tend to believe that if players focus on solid contact (which will result in intended distance / trajectory) in conjunction with direction control scoring will take care of itself. Once a player truly understands what a quality stroke/solid contact feels like and can see the results with respect to intended trajectory, distance and direction, the player will have the ability to 1. select the proper club given a situation, and 2. properly evaluate where to focus their efforts to improve. This also allows a player to differentiate between “good”, “poor” and and “lucky” strokes which also allows players to evaluate performance and focus on where to improve. Lower scores will follow.
Alan
Apr 21, 2014 at 5:30 pm
Cant get mygolfinstructor.com to work for UK. Doesn’t find golf courses due to ZIP code finder. 🙁
Maria Palozola
Apr 21, 2014 at 6:26 pm
Hi Alan,
We have hundreds of users from the UK and Australia and such. Just put in the dummy zip code 90210 and you will be able to get in. Thanks for checking it out and let me know if you have any other questions.
trapp120
Apr 21, 2014 at 4:08 pm
I’m not saying it’s a bad stat, however I think any serious golfer could analyze their weaknesses fairly quickly. Approach shots aren’t given enough due, when in reality your approach to a GIR will make or break each hole on average. If you’re chipping, you’re either a very long driver or you missed on your approach. This is where your “first putt distance” metric makes sense, but unfortunately it needs to be from “par” just like TheCityGame has recommended, because if it’s not for par, that clearly isn’t the biggest leak.
I firmly believe the key to great golf is in a combined number of metrics. FIR, GIR and then as you stated FPD. GIR means little at 50ft away, so I will agree that your metric is the last part of the complete golfer building block and will also agree that on any approach, whether for par or not, getting the FPD under 6 feet is crucial for lowering scores.
Maria Palozola
Apr 21, 2014 at 10:17 pm
Hi Trapp 120. Thanks for the insight and taking the time to read and reply. I couldn’t agree more about approach shots. They really separate the good players from the “not so good.” Good ball strikers give themselves a chance at scoring that higher handicapper almost never see. They used to always say (and probably still do) that the difference between good amateurs and tour players is the shots into the pin. When I played in a handful of tour events I definitely found that to be true.
TheCityGame
Apr 21, 2014 at 3:32 pm
I don’t want to pooh-pooh the article, but I wouldn’t crown it the “king of all stats” because you always need more information to make it meaningful.
If I told you that Golfer A had average “first putt distance” of 20 feet and Golfer B had average “FPD” of 10 feet, you might think Golfer B had a better round. But, Golfer A might have hit 15 greens, and golfer B hit 10 greens. It’s not meaningful unless I know other information.
Something like “length of putt for par” would be a telling statistic that would capture GIR, chipping ability, and putting ability. Of course on a blow up hole, “length of putt for par” might be 150 yards.
If you could combine a couple stats like, “GIR/FPD” then a HIGH value of that would tell you that you’re hitting a lot of greens and/or chipping it close. A low value would tell you the opposite.
To be useful instructionally, it would be interesting to see a statistic like THAT regressed against “scoring average”. Then, a golfer could look at his/her scoring compared to what it SHOULD be based on GIR/FPD and determine if he/she should be working on putting, or better ballstriking.
Maria Palozola
Apr 21, 2014 at 5:04 pm
Hi TheCityGame,
Thanks for taking the time to read the article and posting a lengthy and well thought out reply. You are correct in that some combo stats would go a long way in helping a golfer better understand the state of their game. I love your idea of a GIR/FPD stat, so I’ll pass that along.
As I as saying in the article, the first place I look for the everyday player is putting. It’s simply the easiest place to get my students drop the most strokes and perform more like a professional (as opposed to getting them to hit 300 yard drives). So while knowing their GIR is of course important to me and to them, seeing how far they have to hit the first putt gives me more insight. Like I said it goes well with the other 4 stats I listed. For instance if they are always putting first from 25 feet, then I know their putting stat is probably over blown and the real problem is either in their chipping or their approach club. So for the average player it’s a simple stat to track and one that gives them a great picture of their game.