Is driving or putting harder? The math...

[Desmond]

You might use the driver 14X during a round, the putter about 32X ... I spend a lot more time working on putting technique, aim, and speed than driver swing. You don't need to use a driver 14X. You do need the putter for all putts.

If you have a good swing and setup, all you need to do with driver is watch your tempo and don't rush. It's a similar swing as your other long clubs - you just need a good setup and good tempo with your solid swing. You can swing at 80% and most of the time with these new drivers, land in the fairway.

When we try to do too much, too fast, then the driver becomes a real problem instead of putting you in position for a decent approach. Our eagerness for results and the need to prove something (ego) are our driver mental issues. It's the head.

Putting? It's more difficult. You're putting 30-38X depending on your skill level. It can drive one nuts.

Let's see. How many putters have you bought versus how many drivers?

 

[Daddio]

Two golfers of the same index will give you different answers on which is easier ...

^This^

 

[TxAggie2018]

Most birds and even also pars are made by hitting greens, not by missing them and then holing out.

Let’s take Scottie Scheffler who is 96th in stroke gained putting but 2nd on Tour in strokes gained off the tee. He is also 1st in strokes gained on approaches so he would likely tell you that putting is harder.

Yep.

I've heard it put before as "the world's best putter may not be playing on the PGA Tour. But the world's best ballstriker definitely is."

 

[widespot]

Putting is harder. You can drive poorly (to an extent) and still score. You can’t score well without putting well (they aren’t are going to be tap ins).

 

[Hacks4me]

Driving distance really sets a ceiling on what you can or can't shoot. I have seen a couple different academic studies with slightly different numbers, but swing speed alone explains about 90% of the variance in golfers' handicaps. The graph below was from a 2005 paper.

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www.researchgate.net

30 years ago I played early morning golf with an 80's year old guy who played off a "4" handicap he could only hit the ball down the middle with Persimmon woods and old blades that I couldn't hit but I loved an old Ping Persimmon 5 wood I could hit well 150+ metres. He could Putt the lights out and his chipping around the green was insane he was the exception to short hitting the Driver and he carried his bag, back then I lived in Sydney and played 2 different courses midweek because it was the same cost as playing my home course as long as I played with a member

 

[leftshot]

Putting is harder. You can drive poorly (to an extent) and still score. You can’t score well without putting well (they aren’t are going to be tap ins).

Since this is a math thing, a couple of things to point out.

On a standard par 72 course we are allotted 14 times using driver and 36 times using the putter. By the math, the use of the putter has a weighted advantage when determining which has more impact. However, a poor drive will almost assuredly cost you at least one stroke, possibly more. A poor putt sometimes will not cost you at all, and most likely won't cost you more than one stroke very often. Keep in mind, you are allocated two strokes per hole. A putt inside a 10-foot wide circle around the hole you may expect to make. But if your first putt misses, you still likely completed the hole in the strokes allotted.

So by this math, the only time you've failed with your putting are holes where you 3-putt or worse. Holes where you failed hitting the driver are any that likely cost you a stroke or more out of no more than 14 attempts per round.

 

[Desmond]

Since this is a math thing, a couple of things to point out.

On a standard par 72 course we are allotted 14 times using driver and 36 times using the putter. By the math, the use of the putter has a weighted advantage when determining which has more impact. However, a poor drive will almost assuredly cost you at least one stroke, possibly more. A poor putt sometimes will not cost you at all, and most likely won't cost you more than one stroke very often. Keep in mind, you are allocated two strokes per hole. A putt inside a 10-foot wide circle around the hole you may expect to make. But if your first putt misses, you still likely completed the hole in the strokes allotted.

So by this math, the only time you've failed with your putting are holes where you 3-putt or worse. Holes where you failed hitting the driver are any that likely cost you a stroke or more out of no more than 14 attempts per round.

Yes, but you can avoid overhitting the driver.

 

[widespot]

Since this is a math thing, a couple of things to point out.

On a standard par 72 course we are allotted 14 times using driver and 36 times using the putter. By the math, the use of the putter has a weighted advantage when determining which has more impact. However, a poor drive will almost assuredly cost you at least one stroke, possibly more. A poor putt sometimes will not cost you at all, and most likely won't cost you more than one stroke very often. Keep in mind, you are allocated two strokes per hole. A putt inside a 10-foot wide circle around the hole you may expect to make. But if your first putt misses, you still likely completed the hole in the strokes allotted.

So by this math, the only time you've failed with your putting are holes where you 3-putt or worse. Holes where you failed hitting the driver are any that likely cost you a stroke or more out of no more than 14 attempts per round.

But a good putt gains you a stroke a good drive does not. In fact you can hit a poor drive in play and still gain strokes on par.

 

[Keith Prater]

I tend to play well if I can keep it in the fairway off the tee. I'm not saying I'm a good putter by any means, but for me, driving is harder.

 

[leftshot]

But a good putt gains you a stroke a good drive does not. In fact you can hit a poor drive in play and still gain strokes on par.

Sure you can. Are you familiar with Strokes Gained Driving and Strokes Gained Putting stats?

 

[MonroeBob1955]

Debating this is fun. And nuts at the same time. Let’s take driving. I hit 75% of fairways. You could say that’s 25% below the standard. Putting, I average 1.25 3-putts a round. 93% 2- putt or better. 7% below standard. Based on those stats, Therefore, for me, driving would be harder. Although, if you ask me realistically, I’ll always say putting is harder.

 

[leftybob]

Debating this is fun. And nuts at the same time. Let’s take driving. I hit 75% of fairways. You could say that’s 25% below the standard. Putting, I average 1.25 3-putts a round. 93% 2- putt or better. 7% below standard. Based on those stats, Therefore, for me, driving would be harder. Although, if you ask me realistically, I’ll always say putting is harder.

If hitting 100% of fairways is standard I’m way below average

 

[rollin]

If you have a good swing and setup, all you need to do with driver is watch your tempo and don't rush. It's a similar swing as your other long clubs - you just need a good setup and good tempo with your solid swing. You can swing at 80% and most of the time with these new drivers, land in the fairway.

Respectfully your implying this as being far more easy than it is. The issue is not having a good swing but having a good repeatable swing. General ball striking fails with all clubs is an enormous part of what separates lower and higher cappers. Even for countless folks without at all trying to kill the ball but operating a tame fluid swing with good setup still fail the swing very often. Its not as easily obtainable for countless people as you may be implying. certainly a portion will find better success more often by doing what you suggest. But so so many do that and still struggle. Golf is very hard for so many people even with the knowledge and properly applied efforts of what you speak of yet still lack consistency for it.

 

[Desmond]

Respectfully your implying this as being far more easy than it is. The issue is not having a good swing but having a good repeatable swing. General ball striking fails with all clubs is an enormous part of what separates lower and higher cappers. Even for countless folks without at all trying to kill the ball but operating a tame fluid swing with good setup still fail the swing very often. Its not as easily obtainable for countless people as you may be implying. certainly a portion will find better success more often by doing what you suggest. But so so many do that and still struggle. Golf is very hard for so many people even with the knowledge and properly applied efforts of what you speak of yet still lack consistency for it.

I recognize your point. Still, one does not need to take out driver on every driving hole. We think we do, but no, one doesn't need to take driver. But I also know if one grips down a couple of inches on driver, even a poor swing may get a decent result Also, if one is inconsistent and the goal is a "score," one can take a higher lofted wood or hybrid on narrower fairways. At least you may be just off the green with a chance for par and or more likely a bogey.

 

[rollin]

as for which one (putting or driving) is harder? I suppose it also depends whether one is talking fairways or just keeping the ball in play but still at a reasonable distance. Hitting fw's narrows the answer down considerably.

I recognize your point. Still, one does not need to take out driver on every driving hole. We think we do, but no, one doesn't need to take driver. But I also know if one grips down a couple of inches on driver, even a poor swing may get a decent result Also, if one is inconsistent and the goal is a "score," one can take a higher lofted wood or hybrid on narrower fairways. At least you may be just off the green with a chance for par and or more likely a bogey.

certainly many holes need not be played with driver if one has the distance and right tees for their game. I often bag my driver on doglegs that are not that long because the dreaded straight ball hit too well with driver can end up into trouble where as a 3 or even 5 w if hit the same way will be safe while if hit as intended still long enough to play the hole just fine.