Hack It Out Golf SMS - Percent Shots 90% of Target Distance, 175 Yards, Scratch, 10, and 20
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Sep 20, 2025 Golfers often miss their target distances, especially on approach shots. A study revealed only 84% of scratch golfers reach 90% of their target from 175 yards, dropping to just 47% for high handicaps. The discussion dives into common mistakes, the importance of club selection, and how to track true yardages effectively. Insights from a billion shots worth of data offer valuable strategies to lower scores on the course. Tune in for tips on overcoming ego-driven choices that hinder performance!
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Distance-Quality Varies By Handicap
- Arccos data shows scratch players hit ≥90% of 175 yards about 84% of the time, while 10-handicaps do it ~63% of the time and 20-handicaps ~47% of the time.
- This metric reveals large, measurable gaps in approach-distance reliability across skill levels.
Small Misses Accumulate Into Big Gaps
- Quality of contact explains much of the gap: better players have fewer duffs, shanks, and toe hits that cost large yards.
- Small repeated misses add up across shots and produce big score differences.
Five-Hole Rescue Test
- Mark describes a five-hole test where he and another pro played a 10-index golfer's crashing shots to compare outcomes.
- The pro rescues showed the 10-handicap's mishits repeatedly left him far shorter than equivalent pro misses.