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GregJWillis · #2 10-13-2008, 04:43 PM

Putting is the hardest stat to measure. Up/Downs only gets you the combination of the chip AND putt. You don't know if the chip was good and the putt was not needed, or the chip was horrible and the putt great.

Putts per round gets you closer to a measurement, but the problem is that if you have an iron game and hits a lot of greens, you don't know if this leaves you with a bunch of 2 putts, or if you had hit it really close and missed the putt.

The "Putts/green for only GIR" stat is as close as it gets so far...tracking putts in a separate group for only greens in regulation. Higher handicappers should be allowed to define GIR a bit more leniently to allow any green attempted to reach with a mid iron or a true GIR (for those short Par4's).

I messed around with a stat a few years back that was a bit more involved, but interestingly, the PGA also just started to track in their way. They measure "Proximity to the hole" where top players are around 30'. This includes measurements being anywhere from in the hole (0) and up to 30 yards from the edge of the green on an approach shot (so bunkers come into play). This is to measure approach accuracy.

I want to measure putting accuracy. So I came up with a proximity measurement (on the green only) and added a difficulty factor (breaks and speeds) to each putt. If it was straight, the D-factor was 1. If there was a break to it (more then a cup's width, the D-factor was 2. Double breaks or more then a foot's elevation change would get 3. Each putt was graded and calculated based on:

length remaining after putt / (Df * Length)

This number was then averaged per putt and a quotient was established. This however was way to difficult to maintain and keep a straight head during play, so it was abandoned. But the theory still remains that to truly track putting, a system evaluating this CAN be done. Just hire a caddy to do it for you.