Why are PGA Tour players missing more putts than they used to?

In almost every statistical category the PGA Tour measures, golfers have been getting better for the last two decades.

In 2024 – compared to 2004, for example – pros made more birdies, they hit more greens in regulation and, unsurprisingly, averaged a lower score over 18 holes.

It might stand to reason, then, that golfers would perform better on the greens than they did 20 years ago. Besides, when you consider that players are now faced with putting surfaces in better conditions, advanced technology and new, if not always popular, methods of reading greens, you’d think putts would be finding the cup more often.

Except, they aren’t.

Although the difference might be small, golfers are now holing less putts, on average, from every exact measured distance on the PGA Tour – barring three foot putts – than they were in 2004.

Let’s take putting from ten feet, for example. In 2024, the tour average ‘make’ rate was 41.89%. In 2004, from the same distance, PGA Tour players averaged 42.82%.

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That’s a trend that remains pretty consistent for every range of putt from four feet up to ten feet. When we start getting into longer putts, the tour measures them in a bucket range, such as putts between 15 feet to 25 feet. Taking too much of a reading from these is tricky, but for what it’s worth, the trend largely remains the same.

So, what’s going on? Brandel Chamblee, former PGA Tour player turned analyst, took to X to give his take on the stats, with some interesting theories on why the best players in the world don’t hole as many putts as they used to.

Are pin positions getting tougher?

Although there might be improvements to agronomy, as Chamblee states, perhaps it is pin positions that are making putting harder?

In theory, that makes some sense. If the tour wants to guard against low scoring, cutting holes on slopes would be an obvious way to do it. Chamblee, however, says he’s seen no evidence of that. Instead, he has some other theories…

Yes, they do. On average players putt worse/make fewer putts over the last five years (2019-2024) than they did the first five years (2004-2008) of measurement and from every distance : 4-8 feet, 10-15, 15-20, 20-25 and >25 feet. This despite improvements in agronomy, green… https://t.co/LDVk7SpqdO

— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) February 24, 2025

AimPoint!

The hot topic on tour at the moment. Chamblee poses that increased foot traffic around the hole could be causing players to miss more putts.

“Increased shuffling around the hole due to green reading histrionics,” as Chamblee puts it, could be giving players less of a chance of making putts, due to footprints around the hole.

It is worth noting, however, that players are now allowed to press down spike marks in their line, a rule which came into force in 2019. As well as that, if the much maligned green reading technique is done correctly, players could actually make less traffic around the hole than a traditional read.

And if you were to ask an AimPoint proponent, they would tell you that it actually helps golfers make more putts. If that’s not the case, the Golf Channel analyst posed a third possible reason.

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Golfers are simply overthinking it

The final point that Chamblee makes is that golfers might just be overthinking things on the greens. Earlier in his tweet, he points to the likes of green reading books (which are now banned on tour), video analysis, more prominent putting coaches, AimPoint and putting diagnostic tools.

Would golfers be better off just eye-balling putts in the style of Jack Nicklaus in this iconic clip?

As you might expect, others responded to Chamblee with their thoughts on why golfers aren’t making as many putts as they used to.

Drive for show, drive for…dough?

As several pointed out, there are now huge gains to be made from the tee. Modern stats all point to the fact that if you can hit the ball longer than your opponents, you can make exponential gains compared to if you’re more proficient with the putter.

It stands to reason, then, that golfers are simply spending more time working on their driver than they are working on their putting.

Think of it this way. If you spend an hour a day either in the gym, or working on hitting the ball harder, you’re almost guaranteed to start gaining yards. Spend that hour working on eight-footers, and you might see no discernible improvement.

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Putting is just really hard

I know what you’re thinking. Hitting a driver 350 yards is difficult. Holing an eight foot putt, by comparison, isn’t. But here’s another way of looking at it. On the putting green, you either miss a putt or you make it. Any small mistake, whether it’s to do with line, pace, read, or an imperfection on the green, can mean your ball doesn’t find the bottom of the cup.

From the tee, you can still hit a drive that isn’t perfect and make gains on your opponent. When Aldrich Potgieter, the new longest hitter on the PGA Tour, hits a drive that only goes 300 yards as opposed to 320, he’s still doing alright. There’s a good chance he’ll continue to add distance thanks to getting stronger, but he’s unlikely to improve his putting to the point that it’s as big a weapon as his long game.

Why are PGA Tour players holing less putts than they were 20 years ago?

Chances are, it’s a combination of several of the factors listed above. Sure, the differences aren’t huge, but when you consider the gains golfers are making in other facets of the game, it is curious that putting seems to be in reverse.

If your putting is in need of an overhaul, perhaps one of our Performance Panel can help you?

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor