Golfers have gotten significantly better at the sport over the last two decades.
The increase in distance and accuracy has moved the sport forward at a rapid pace. So much so that legendary courses, such as the Home of Golf, St. Andrews, is undergoing extreme renovations in order to match the speed of development.
The USGA is exploring ways to limit this exponential advancement in technology, including a golf ball rollback, but each year, players get stronger and better. But there is one area where they don’t have to worry: putting.
Shockingly, statistics show that players on the PGA Tour are actually worse at putting than they were 20 years ago.
PGA Tour putting stats have declined in the last 20 years
Surprisingly, statistics from the Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee indicate that PGA Tour players’ putting has declined over the last 20 years.
He posted to X: “PGA Tour make % 20 years apart:
“2005
From 4’-8’ make % 69.87
From 10-15 make % 31.29
From 15-20 make % 19.07
From 20-25 make % 12.76
Over 25’ make % 5.73
“2025
From 4’-8’ make % 68.57
From 10-15 make % 30.48
From 15-20 make % 18.92
From 20-25 make % 12.23
Over 25’ make % 5.42
“From every distance there has been a decline in make %.”
On the surface, this might seem shocking, but there are a few key reasons why.
The reasons why putting was worse on the PGA Tour in 2025 than it was in 2005
The decline in PGA Tour putting percentages from 2005 to 2025 is a case of the courses biting back. While it may seem counterintuitive that athletes with better technology and coaching perform worse, the environment in which they play has been significantly weaponized to counter the modern power game.
The most significant factor is green speed. In 2005, a stimpmeter reading of 11 was considered fast. In 2025, a reading of 13 or higher is the standard. On a faster surface, the effective width of the hole actually decreases.
A ball moving at a speed that would have dropped into the center of the cup on a slower green will now lip out if it is even a fraction of an inch off-center. Furthermore, modern greens have firmer surfaces, meaning putts don’t settle into the grain. Instead, they stay on top of the grass, where every micro-imperfection can knock them off line.
Because players are hitting the ball 20–30 yards further than they were 20 years ago, tournament directors have moved pins to more defensive positions. By placing holes just a few feet away from significant slopes, the average putt from 15 feet in 2025 likely has 20–30% more break than a 15-footer in 2005.
In short, the players haven’t regressed. Instead, the greens of these modern golf courses have simply become more punishing.
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