Not getting close from 100 yards every time? Here’s why you should stop worrying
Faced with the 100-yard shot, golfers have been led to believe they should be hitting it close every time. So when this doesn’t happen it’s easy to get frustrated. I stumbled upon an interesting stat which should act as a source of comfort and might even help you improve from 100 yards.
On an almost weekly basis, professionals reduce courses to their knees with winning totals often breaching 20-under. It’s no surprise then that comparing your own game to theirs can be a little disheartening. But it shouldn’t be.
I’ve seen it from many playing partners over the years and I’m guilty myself. TV coverage makes it seem like the pros are verging on superhuman and as a result we expect the same or similar from our own game. But we only watch those who are in with a chance of victory.
Check out this stat from ‘Golf Stat Pro’ Lou Stagner:
Tour pros must hit it inside 10 feet all day from 100 yards, right?
Nope.
Not. Even. Close. pic.twitter.com/FGXDH4W5bY
— Lou Stagner (Golf Stat Pro) (@LouStagner) November 30, 2019
Golf is extremely hard and unrelenting so if you can’t at least cut yourself some slack then you’ve got no chance of playing your best.
Next time you leave 20 feet from 100 yards, don’t curse yourself for not hitting it closer, remind yourself that this is less than two feet outside the tour average.
It’s not a physical or a technical tip, but a way to ease some of the pressure that comes with this game. And there’s nobody who wouldn’t benefit from a little mental relief.
Top tour pros do make the game look easy from time to time but there’s two sides to every coin and for every winner each week, there are hundreds more who are struggling away from our TV screens.
Keep this stat in mind next time you’re playing and see if it helps.
Have you seen any other surprising stats? Let me know in the comments or tweet me.
Andrew Wright
NCG's instruction editor. Terrible student so trying my hand at passing on some of the best advice I've never listened to. Member of Royal Troon. Favourite golfer is two-time major winner and hall of famer, Retief Goosen.