Average Putts Per Round by Handicap (And How to Actually Lower Yours)

HackMotion

Nov 19, 2025 . 6 mins read

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Most golfers can tell you whether they had a “good putting day” or a “bad putting day,” but very few can explain what that actually means.

Were there fewer total putts? Fewer 3-putts? Better distance control? Or just a feeling based on a couple of memorable makes or misses?

Putting is one of the simplest areas of the game to track, yet most players move from round to round without recording anything concrete.

When you take away the emotion and look at the numbers, you start to see patterns, patterns that reveal where your putting truly stands and what needs to improve.

Shot-tracking companies like Shot Scope and Arccos give us reliable benchmarks for how many putts different handicaps typically take per round.

When you combine that information with HackMotion wrist data, you get a much clearer path forward: where you are, where you need to go, and how to make measurable progress one stroke at a time.

Average Putts Per Round by Handicap Chart

Here are some numbers based on the trends seen with Shot Scope, Arccos and other golf data providers.

As you can see from the table, each handicap tier improves by about one putt per round. While that may seem like a small number, it takes time to improve your putting and see your average decrease.

What These Numbers Mean for You

Putting feels volatile because one great make or one frustrating lip-out can shape how you remember an entire round. That’s why tracking averages matters. Instead of basing improvement on emotion, you’re basing it on data.

Here’s how to use that data effectively.

Step 1: Start Tracking Your Putting Data

You can’t improve what you aren’t measuring. Use any method you prefer:

• Arccos
• Shot Scope
• A simple notes app
• Your scorecard

If you can track strokes gained putting, that’s ideal. It tells you how well you putted relative to expectation, not just how many putts you took.

You’ll also probably have data about the lengths of putts and which areas you struggle with the most.

Step 2: Set One Goal (One Fewer Putt per Round)

Trying to cut 4–5 putts at once is unrealistic because putting performance naturally fluctuates. Some days you’ll make everything. Some days you won’t.

What works is aiming for one fewer putt per round than your current average. When that becomes consistent, aim for the next one. Small, steady progress wins here.

Step 3: Identify Why You Miss Putts

Most golfers don’t have a green-reading problem or a speed problem. They have a wrist-control problem. HackMotion reveals patterns every golfer should know:

• Is your lead wrist stable?
• How much face rotation do you add or remove?
• Does your loft delivery change from putt to putt?
• Is your rhythm predictable or inconsistent?

Face angle at impact is the biggest predictor of where the ball starts, and your wrists control the face.

Fix the wrists = Fix the face = Fix your putting average.

Proven Drills to Lower Your Putting Average

These three drills target the wrist patterns that matter most:

• Flexion stability
• Rotation control
• Stroke rhythm

Master these patterns, and your putting numbers will move in the right direction.

Flexion–Extension Putting Drill

The flexion-extension drill is the best place to start. This drill will help you work on loft consistency, strike quality, and face stability.

A stable lead wrist delivers the same loft and strike every time. That’s the foundation of predictable roll.

Rotation Stability Putting Drill

The rotation stability drill improves the start-line accuracy, directional control, and your consistency under pressure. There’s some rotation in the putting stroke, but if you exaggerate it or can’t repeat it, you’ll notice problems in your putting averages.

One thing that we’ve discovered with the best putters in the world is that their putting consistency is what sets them apart. The motion isn’t always perfect, but the consistency of that motion is.

If rotation varies from stroke to stroke, the ball starts left or right, even with a good read.

Rhythm Ratio Drill

Once you have the putter face and the start line correct, you can start working on your rhythm and ratio.

When your rhythm is predictable, speed control becomes significantly easier, especially on longer putts. Most golfers don’t know how far off their rhythm and ratio are until it’s measured.

For more simple, practical tips and drills to improve your putting and lower your average, take a look at our Best Putting Tips article.

How to Measure Progress the Right Way

Putting improvement is all about trends, not one-offs.

Here’s how to track real progress:

1. Track One Metric at a Time

Pick one:

• Putts per round
• 3-putts per round
• SG: Putting
• Make % inside 10 feet

2. Reassess Every 4-6 Rounds

Day-to-day putting has too much fluctuation. Rolling averages show true improvement. Check every 4-6 rounds at how your average is trending and then look at it over 10-12 rounds and see what changes you are seeing.

3. Check Your HackMotion Patterns Weekly

• Is flexion stable at impact?
• Is rotation predictable?
• Is your rhythm consistent?

When these three patterns improve, your putting average typically follows.

Final Thoughts

Lowering your putting average doesn’t always require rebuilding your stroke. It requires consistency and more attention to detail.

HackMotion lets you work on your putting in real time and receive timely feedback to help improve your stroke.

Track your numbers, understand your tendencies, aim for one fewer putt at a time, and use HackMotion to strengthen the wrist patterns that influence every putt you hit.