You still need to get the ball in the hole. Let’s talk putting.

Let’s start with the numbers. Check out these PGA Tour make percentages:

Here’s the magic number: from 35 feet and out, Tour players are more likely to three-putt than one-putt. Let that sink in.

Now imagine you’re a 20 handicap. Your make percentages are probably half those Tour numbers. That means you don’t need a better putter—you need a better leave.

Let’s walk through a common scenario. You hit your tee shot into the trees. Instead of going for a risky hero shot, you pitch out to the 100-yard marker. Smart play, right? Maybe not.

You hit your average 100-yard wedge and leave it 55 feet from the hole—because, according to the data, that’s about what a 20 handicap averages from that distance. Now you’re staring down a 25% chance of a three-putt. Boom—double bogey. What felt like a “safe” play actually wasn’t. Not with your current short game.

But what if you practiced this?

Let’s say you improve your 100-yard control and start averaging 35 feet instead of 55. That alone drops your three-putt chances dramatically. You might even knock one in from 20 feet every once in a while. Now you’re cooking.

Or better yet—what if instead of pitching out to 100 yards, you left yourself 50 yards? You’re probably thinking, “Oh no, I hate those distances…” Not anymore. You’ve practiced them.

Scratch players average 23 feet from 50 yards. That’s a big difference compared to 55 feet from 100 yards. And from 23 feet, your odds of one-putting are way better—especially if you’ve been working on your lag putting.

Here’s the bottom line: if you improve your wedge control and your putting, you don’t just play smarter—you score better. Put the wedge game of a scratch player in the hands of a 20 handicap, and that player becomes a 15. Add in Tour-level lag putting, and now they’re a 10.

Once your short game becomes a strength, you stop hoping to score and start expecting it. That’s how you play golf. That’s how you shoot lower scores.

Next up: Scoring isn’t just about technique—it’s about toughing it out when the weather turns. Rain, wind, cold… most players fold. Want to gain strokes on the field just by being prepared?

Don’t miss my next post: How to Play Better in Bad Weather.