Data on short-side risk and recovery rates: why missing on the wrong side hurts scores.
Don’t short side. Missing to the fat side is the strongest attack, backed by probability.
“When can I get up and down?” The answer depends not only on distance but on how much green you have (which side you miss). Data shows that missing short-side is costly for amateurs and pros alike.
“When can I get up and down?” The answer depends not only on distance but on how much green you have (which side you miss). Data shows that missing short-side is costly for amateurs and pros alike.
From the rough, see how short-siding (little green between you and the pin) drops your odds.
Highest expected value. From here you can often get up and down, but short-sided even pros drop from the 80s to the 60s in success rate.
This is the divide. Beyond 30 yards, PGA Tour pros’ scrambling rate drops below 50%. So from 30+ yards, not getting up and down is normal.
From 15 yards in the rough, short-side costs about 0.2–0.4 strokes vs long side on average—meaning bogey or worse more than one in four times.
Missing to the fat side isn’t passive—it’s the strongest attack based on probability. Draw hitters get more roll, so when the pin is left, aiming at the center is often mandatory.