Claudia Laurent
Golf writer, Golf Handicapp · 21 July 2026
The short answer
From inside 6 feet nearly everyone holes out. From 6 to 12 feet even a scratch golfer makes under half, and a 25 handicap is only a few percent behind. From 12 to 18 feet everyone is under one in four. Putting is the great equaliser, so manage your expectations and protect your score from close range.
Golfers agonise over their putting, but the numbers are more forgiving, and more level, than you would expect. Here is the real make percentage by distance and handicap, why the gap between a scratch golfer and a 25 shrinks to almost nothing on the greens, and what it means for where you should spend your practice time.
Make percentage by distance and handicap
Read each row as the share of putts holed from that distance band. The columns are handicap levels. Notice how close the numbers stay across handicaps once you are past a few feet.
| Distance | Scratch | 10 | 20 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-6 ft | 93% | 89% | 84% | 82% |
| 6-12 ft | 43% | 38% | 38% | 35% |
| 12-18 ft | 25% | 20% | 19% | 16% |
Putting is the great equaliser
Look across the 6 to 12 foot row: a scratch golfer makes 43%, a 25 handicap 35%. That eight point gap is tiny compared with the chasm on approach play or off the tee. On the greens, a high handicapper is genuinely close to the best, which is why a good putting day can level the field in a way a good driving day never will.
Expect to miss
From 10 feet, even a strong putter misses more often than they hole. That is not a flaw in your stroke, it is just how hard putting is. Read it and it changes how you play: outside a few feet, roll it at the hole with good pace and accept two putts, rather than trying to force in every look and leaving yourself a nervy one back.
Track your putts, round by round
Log every round with Golf Handicapp and see your real make rates. 30-day free trial, no card needed.
Where to spend your time
Guard the short ones and lag the long ones. Inside 6 feet the make rate is high and a miss is expensive, so those are worth grooving. Beyond that, distance control matters more than line, and getting the first putt close is what keeps your three-putts down. Neither needs a new putter, just a clearer target.
Know your own numbers
These are averages across thousands of rounds, and yours will be your own. Log your golf and you can see your real make rates by distance, then check your handicap with our WHS handicap calculator. Every round you post in a Golf Handicapp tournament counts toward your handicap too.
Common questions
What percentage of putts does a scratch golfer make from 6 to 12 feet?+
About 43%, so under half. Even the best amateur putters miss more of their putts from that range than they hole. From 6 feet and in the numbers are high, but they fall away quickly the further out you go.
How much better is a scratch golfer at putting than a 25 handicap?+
Less than you would think. From 6 to 12 feet a scratch golfer makes about 43% and a 25 handicap around 35%. From close range the gap is only a few percent. Putting is the one part of the game where a high handicapper is not far behind the best, which is why it is called the great equaliser.
What is a realistic make percentage from 10 feet?+
For most club golfers, somewhere between one in three and one in four. A 10-footer feels holeable, but the data says you should expect to miss it more often than not, so lag it with confidence rather than trying to jam it in.
Should I practise short putts or long putts?+
Both, but for different reasons. Short putts inside 6 feet protect your score because the make rate is high and a miss is costly. Longer putts are more about pace than holing out, so practise getting the first putt close to avoid three-putts rather than expecting to drain 15-footers.
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About the author
Claudia Laurent · Golf writer, Golf Handicapp
Claudia writes about the World Handicap System, golf scoring and getting more from every round for Golf Handicapp. She is a mid-handicap golfer who logs every card, the good ones and the ones she would rather forget.
Last updated 21 July 2026.