We take a look at the value of a tour player's driver vs. his putter.
The oldest argument in golf
Drive for show, putt for dough is one of the most repeated and least accurate pieces of golf wisdom in circulation.
It survives because putts are visible and memorable, while a tee shot that leaves a perfect angle looks unremarkable.
What the data says
Across full seasons, long game performance explains substantially more of the variation in scoring than putting does. The driver is used on almost every hole and its outcomes shape every shot that follows.
Putting decides individual weeks. The long game decides careers.
How to split your time
Do not abandon the putter, but stop treating it as the answer to every scoring problem.
Track both properly for ten rounds and let your own numbers settle the argument for your game.