Distance Variability in Golf Putting among Highly Skilled Players: The Role of Green Reading

Abstract

The purpose was to quantify how important green reading, technique and green surface inconsistencies were for distance variability in putting among highly skilled players. Forty-three players (mean handicap = 2.8, s = 2.2) participated in the study. Their average relative distance variability (expressed as standard deviation) was s = 10.6% on a test including 40 different putts from 2.2 to 19.3 m, and s = 6.8% on the last 15 putts in a test with 30 repeated 6 m putts in the same direction. Relative distance variability caused by green surface inconsistency was s = 2.5%. A variance analysis of the putt data, based on assumptitions which lead to a conservative estimate of the importance of green reading, revealed that the relative importance of the determining factors for distance variability was: Green reading (60%); technique (34%); and green inconsistency (6%). In conclusion, it seems beneficial for highly skilled players to put higher emphasis on green reading in distance control practice, and that coaches and researchers should focus more on developing methods and training programs for improving the green reading skill.