Tour's Putting Pains and Short Game Gains
A close look at how the best are (and aren't) getting it done around the greens this PGA Tour season.
Marcus Santana · Founder & Lead Tester, Homie Golf · July 29, 2026
Original reporting & analysis · Homie Golf Tour desk
Elite putting is down this season, but players are finding ways to scramble effectively, highlighting a shift towards recovery over pure holing out. Short game versatility is proving more valuable than ever.
The setup
From my perch, watching the early events of this PGA Tour season, one thing has become glaringly obvious: the flat stick is not cooperating as it once did for many of the game's elite. There's a noticeable hesitation, a lack of fluid confidence on the greens that wasn't as prevalent in seasons past. I'm seeing more three-putts from seemingly good positions, more missed short putts that should be automatic. It feels like the mental game on the green has become a bigger battle than usual. It’s not just one or two guys; it’s a trend that's showing up in the stats and on the screen, indicating a broader struggle with putting consistency.
What happened
Despite the putting woes, what’s fascinating is how many players are still managing to post good numbers. The short game, particularly around the green, has become their savior. I’m seeing some truly audacious up-and-downs, chips spun to perfection, and sand saves from impossible lies. Players are spending more time honing their short game from 50 yards and in, and it's paying dividends. They might be leaving themselves longer putts, but their ability to get up-and-down from everywhere else is mitigating the damage. It's a testament to their overall athleticism and touch, an ability to scramble that's obscuring what would otherwise be a much more problematic putting season.
What it means
What does this mean for the everyday golfer? Don't chase the perfect putting stroke if your short game is neglected. The pros are showing us that being a magician around the greens – knowing how to chip, pitch, and blast out of bunkers – can compensate for a less-than-stellar putting day. Instead of endlessly practicing 10-foot putts, dedicate more time to those awkward 30-yard pitches, or learning to hit that high, soft bunker shot. Developing a versatile short game will save you more strokes than chasing a putting 'feel' that even the best on Tour are struggling to find consistently right now. Embrace the scramble, and watch your scores drop.
How we cover the Tour
Everything on the Tour desk is written in-house by Marcus Santana and the Homie Golf crew. We watch the golf, track the numbers, and write our own read on the week — no wire copy, no rewrites of somebody else's article.
New Tour coverage posts every morning: setup reports, winning bags, cut-line math, Sunday reaction and the stuff that actually decided the tournament.
No ad units, no pop-ups on Tour pages, no paid placements. Just the read.