Bumpy Greens and PGA Tour Pros: What the Data Reveals
- It's a common west Coast Swing talking point: as teh day gets later, the greens get tougher.
- That's thanks to Poa annua grass,which has a reputation for becoming bumpier and more unpredictable later in the day on account of the grass's rapid afternoon growth and...
- We looked at more than 9,000 official rounds tracked by the Tour's ShotLink technology on those three courses over the last 10 seasons.
It’s a common west Coast Swing talking point: as teh day gets later, the greens get tougher.
That’s thanks to Poa annua grass,which has a reputation for becoming bumpier and more unpredictable later in the day on account of the grass’s rapid afternoon growth and seedhead production. With poa greens in play at Torrey pines this week – plus two more upcoming tour stops, in Pebble Beach and riviera – we dove into the data to determine if putting on the PGA Tour actually becomes more difficult as the day progresses.
The math behind bumpy greens
Table of Contents
We looked at more than 9,000 official rounds tracked by the Tour’s ShotLink technology on those three courses over the last 10 seasons. Across the board, putt make rates from various distance ranges decrease for players with later tee times. Take putting from five to 10 feet: for players who tee off before 9 a.m. local time, the make rate over the last decade is 52.3%. From 9 a.m.to 11 a.m., that number drops just a touch, to 52.2%. From noon to 2 p.m., it dips to 50%.
As contending players with later weekend tee times inherently make more putts than their competition, let’s isolate that data to just Rounds 1 and 2. On putts from 4-8 feet, players teeing off before 9 a.m. local make 64.9% of their putts. In the 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. group, that number drops to 61.5%.
A decrease of 3.4% might sound insignificant, but the margins between success and failure are razor-thin in professional golf. That differential represents the gap in make rate from 4 to 8 feet on the 8th-toughest course on Tour in that metric in 2025 (Sedgefield Country Club) and 25th toughest (Country Club of Jackson).
Which of these venues is impacted most by the day’s progression? When splitting the times into two blocks, the early risers at Riv have the most distinct advantage. Over the last decade, players who tee off before 10 a.m. local time make 3.4% more putts from 4 to 8 feet than their counterparts teeing off after that time. the differences for Torrey Pines South (-0.3%) and Pebble Beach (-2.3%) are narrower.
| Putt Make Percentage Last 10 Seasons – 4 to 8 Feet, Rounds 1 & 2 | |||
| Course | Before 10 AM | ||
Ludvig Åberg demonstrates a strong putting record, notably within a 5-10 foot range on West coast courses, and recently showed positive putting statistics at The American Express tournament.
Ludvig Åberg: Putting statistics and Performance
Ludvig Åberg is a professional golfer known for his consistent performance, with a notable strength in his short game, specifically putting. his putting statistics on West coast courses have been particularly notable.
Definition / Direct Answer: Åberg’s make rate from 5 to 10 feet on three West Coast courses is 61.3%, ranking him fourth among all players since 2020.
Detail: This statistic highlights Åberg’s accuracy and consistency with mid-range putts, a crucial aspect of competitive golf. The courses considered for this ranking are not explicitly named in available data, but the consistent performance across multiple West coast events demonstrates a reliable skill. The timeframe of “as 2020” provides context for the statistic, indicating a sustained level of performance.
Example or Evidence: Data collected through PGA Tour tracking shows Åberg’s 61.3% conversion rate from 5-10 feet places him among the elite putters on the West Coast circuit as 2020. PGA Tour Putting Statistics provide detailed data on player performance,including make percentages from various distances.
The american Express 2024 Performance
Definition / Direct Answer: Åberg gained 2.26 strokes putting during his two measured rounds at The American express tournament in January 2024.
Detail: Strokes gained putting is a statistic that measures a player’s performance on the green relative to the average player. A positive number indicates that the player outperformed the average, while a negative number indicates underperformance. Gaining over 2.26 strokes demonstrates a significant positive contribution to his overall score.
Example or Evidence: Åberg finished in a tie for 13th place (T13) at The American Express, partially attributed to his strong putting performance. The American Express Leaderboard confirms his T13 finish and provides tournament statistics.
PGA Tour Statistics and Data
The PGA Tour provides extensive statistics on player performance, including putting data. These statistics are used to evaluate players’ strengths and weaknesses and to track their progress over time.
- PGA Tour Statistics: Official source for player statistics.
- PGA Tour Putting Stats: Detailed putting statistics.