How Close To The Pin Do Amateur Golfers Hit Their Approach Shots?

As amateur golfers, we often obsess about how far we can hit our shots, without thinking about how close we can realistically expect the ball to get to our target. 

I'll admit, there is no better feeling than striping an approach shot towards the green and feeling that momentary surge of optimism that all golfers chase. Some like to talk to or plead with their golf ball, while others hold their breath in anticipation as they eagerly watch it in flight.

As the moment of truth beckons, players are already strategically planning their next move and preparing to pull the headcover off their putter, but our ambition rarely translates to reality.

Setting unrealistic expectations on the golf course can lead to frustration and have a detrimental impact on performance, so understanding the data can help you to create an ambitious, but achievable, plan of action for the next time you find yourself over an approach shot to the green.

In this article, thanks to the latest Arccos data, we explore how close amateur golfers get the ball to the hole on their approach shots and analyse the impact of distance and handicap index on the final result...

Average Proximity To The Hole On Approach By Handicap Index...

First things first, it's important to set out the parameters. The data presented is split into two categories – proximity for greens in regulation and proximity for all shots. The greens in regulation measure indicates average proximity for approach shots that land on the green in the number of shots expected for that hole (two shots on a par four, for example). The proximity for all shots measure outlines the average distance to the hole for all shots, whether landing on the green or missing the green.

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Scratch Golfers

As you might expect, a scratch golfer on average hits the ball closer to the flag with their approach shot, when compared to all other amateur golfers. The average proximity to the hole for shots that find the green in regulation is an impressive 26-feet, creating plenty of makable birdie opportunities.

The average proximity for all shots, whether finding the putting surface or not, is 44-feet. The PGA Tour average stands at just over 38-feet, highlighting the fine margins required to reach the elite level of the professional game.

5- and 10-handicappers

A 5-handicap golfer hits their approach shots to around 28-feet on average when finding the green in regulation, and 54-feet when including all approach shots.

That is only marginally better than a 10-handicapper, who finds the green around 31-feet from the pin on average and leaves themselves around 65-feet when considering all approach shots (including those that miss the green).

15- and 20-handicappers

The margins between these two ability levels is minimal, with a 15-handicapper hitting their approach shots to an average of 33-feet when finding the green in regulation and 75-feet for all shots.

When you compare that to a 20-handicapper, there is only a few feet difference when finding the green (36-feet), but the gap widens slightly for all approach shots, with a 20-handicap leaving themselves around 85-feet to the hole.

Proximity To Pin By Distance Of Approach Shot

50 - 74 Yard Approach Shots

The average proximity range for all golfers at this distance is between 30- to 46-feet, representing the average distance to the hole for a scratch golfer and a 20-handicapper. As you can see in the graph below, the three remaining index groups increase incrementally, moving around 5-feet further away from the hole as the handicap index increases.

75-99 Yard Approach Shots

As the approach shot lengthens, so does the average proximity to the hole for all golfers. A scratch golfer hits the ball on average 34-feet from the pin and increases around approximately five or six feet as the handicap index rises. A 20-handicap golfer will find themselves furthest from the hole in this range, at around 53-feet from the flag.

100-124 Yard Approach Shots

As the approach lengthens again, the disparity in distance between the handicap indexes increases further. While there was only a 5-feet increase in length from the hole for the first two distance ranges, this now increases to around a 7-feet increase.

125-149 Yard Approach Shots

The was also a steady rise in the proximity of end result for the varying ability levels when playing their approach shots (as evidenced by the graphs below) for shots between 125- and 149-yards.

150-174 Yard Approach Shots

As we move over 150-yards for the approach shots, the disparity between the handicap ranges shoots up. The total range covering all players is almost 40-feet, for shots between 150- and 174-yards.

175-199 Yard Approach Shots

This pattern continues in the 175- to 199-yard range, with the total spread standing at 72-feet between scratch golfers and 20-handicappers.

200+ Yard Approach Shots

The final distance category sees the biggest gulf in the range covering all ability levels, with a total of 86-feet difference between the average approach proximity of a scratch golfer in comparison to a 20-handicapper. The total increase between each handicap range is also at its highest.

How Many Greens In Regulation Do Amateur Golfers Hit?

So, with those figures in mind, how many of the approach shots hit by amateur golfers result in a tick for the greens in regulation box? Well, according to the Arccos data, you shouldn't be getting your hopes up too often.

As you can see in the graph below, a scratch golfer hits an average of 56 percent of greens in regulation. That figure drops ten percent when you get to a 5-handicapper and a further ten percent to a 10-handicapper.

a 15-handicap golfer is expected to make around 27 percent of greens in regulation, so just over one in four holes, while for a 20-handicapper it's more like one in five (20 percent of greens in regulation).

When you consider that the PGA Tour average for this measure is just 65 percent, it's not realistic to expect to find the putting surface with every approach shot – or even every other, unless you are a scratch golfer.

Knowing you won't be getting a birdie opportunity on every hole, invest some time on your short game and scrambling ability, as this will help you to shoot lower scores and give you the best opportunity to reduce your handicap.