Line · Tour data

Degree of error

Here is the start-line tolerance in degrees from every distance, 1 ft to 50 ft.

Pick a distance
Make zone
1 ft1020304050 ft
Entry speed
±1.27°
Degree of error
Either side of the line, die speed, 4.25" cup.
1.50
Tour expected putts

01When the distance doubles, the margin for error is cut in half

  • ±2.03°
  • ±1.01°
  • ±0.51°
Degree of error · die speed · log scale

02How to use this

  • Aim. We strive to aim within the degree of error.
  • Impact. Return the face and path to within 1 degree at impact.
  • Outside 10 feet. Putt tactically smart. The first putt is die pace, so the second putt is a high probability make.
  • Tour and elite players. We strive for 0.5 degree tolerance.

03The full table

DistDegree of error · dieExpectedZone
Expected source: Mark Broadie, "Putts Gained: Measuring Putting on the PGA Tour", Columbia University, 2011. Expected = average PGA Tour putts to hole out from that distance.Degree of error = arctan(hole radius / distance) at die speed, 4.25" cup.1 ft and 2 ft past: hole capture model on a stimp 10 green. The ball arrives at 0.58 m/s (1 ft past) or 0.82 m/s (2 ft past) and must cross within 45 mm or 39 mm of the hole centre to drop, against 53 mm at die speed. That keeps 85% or 73% of the die-speed degree of error at every distance. After A. R. Penner, "The physics of putting", Can. J. Phys. 80 (2002). An estimate: it leaves out balls that hit the back wall and drop.