Jackson Reid
Up and down is a term used in golf to describe a player's ability to get the ball onto the green and into the hole in two strokes from anywhere on the course. While there is no official definition of the term, it is generally understood that an up and down occurs when a player misses the green with their approach shot, chips or pitches the ball onto the green, and then makes the putt in one shot. This scenario is also known as saving par and is considered an important aspect of the short game in golf, requiring proficiency in both chipping and putting. Sand saves, where a player gets the ball out of a bunker and into the hole in two shots, are a specific type of up and down that is tracked by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
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What You'll Learn
'Up and down' has no official definition
While the term "up and down" is frequently used in golf, it has no official definition. In general, it refers to a player's ability to get the ball onto the green and then into the hole in two strokes from anywhere on the course. This can be achieved through a combination of chipping, pitching, or bunker shots, followed by a putt.
The lack of an official definition for "up and down" makes it challenging to compare players' performance in this aspect of the game. However, it is still considered a valuable indicator of a player's proficiency in the short game. Players with a higher success rate in getting up and down are often skilled in chipping and putting, demonstrating their ability to strategically navigate the course and minimize the number of strokes required to hole out.
Sand saves, as defined by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, provide a specific context for up and downs. It refers to the percentage of times a player successfully gets up and down from a greenside bunker, regardless of the score. This statistic offers insight into a player's ability to recover from challenging situations and can be a crucial factor in their overall performance.
Although there is no official definition, the term "up and down" holds significance in golf. It emphasizes the importance of strategic chipping and putting, contributing to a player's overall success on the course. By understanding the concept of up and downs, golfers can develop their short game skills, make more informed decisions, and ultimately improve their scores.
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Sand saves are a type of 'up and down'
Sand saves are a type of up and down in golf. The term 'up and down' in golf means to get up on the green and then putt the ball down into the hole from wherever it is lying on the course in just one shot for each. This can refer to a chip from a greenside bunker, which gets the ball onto the green, and then a putt in one further shot.
Sand saves are defined by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour as "the percentage of time a player was able to get 'up and down' once in a greenside bunker, regardless of the score". This is a useful statistic for measuring a player's short game ability from the sand. However, it does not account for nuances in the quality of the shots played, and only looks at whether the ball was holed within two shots.
Sand saves are considered a tricky part of the game. Bunkers are designed as hazards, and the sand presents a different texture and resistance to the fairway or green. Getting the ball out of a bunker requires a specialised technique and can be unpredictable.
While sand saves are impressive, some people believe they are not an appropriate or accurate measure of short-game skill. Sand shots are relatively rare, and are a very different skill to chipping or pitching.
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'Up and down' is an indication of proficiency in the short game
Although the term "up and down" in golf has no official definition, it is commonly used to refer to a player's ability to get the ball onto the green in one shot and then into the hole with the subsequent putt, also in one shot. This is also known as "getting up and down".
"Up and down" is often used in reference to a chip from a greenside position, such as a bunker, and is considered a measure of a player's proficiency in the short game. The short game in golf is all about reducing the number of putts needed to get the ball in the hole. The goal is to get the ball as close as possible to the hole so that you can hole out in as few strokes as possible.
Getting up and down frequently during a round is a sign of a player's overall skill level and their ability to chip and putt well. Low single-digit golfers get up and down about 4-5 times out of 10, while top PGA Tour pros achieve this almost 65% of the time. On the other hand, players who regularly score 90+ are only able to get up and down less than 2 times out of 10.
Sand saves, a type of up and down, are recorded as a statistic by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. This is defined as the percentage of time a player is able to get up and down from a greenside bunker, regardless of the score. In 2021, the average sand save percentage on the PGA Tour was just over 50%, with Brooks Keopka achieving the highest number of sand saves at 51 out of 78 bunkers.
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'Up and down' is about getting the ball close enough to hole out
While there is no official definition of the term "up and down" in golf, it generally refers to the percentage of time a player misses the green and takes one additional shot to get the ball onto the green, followed by one putt to hole out. This scenario is also known as "saving par".
Up and down is about getting the ball close enough to hole out in as few strokes as possible. The first stroke, often a chip or bunker shot, gets the ball ""up" onto the green, and the subsequent putt puts the ball "down" into the hole. This can be achieved from anywhere the ball is positioned around the green.
Sand saves, a specific type of up and down, are defined by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour as the percentage of time a player gets up and down from a greenside bunker, regardless of the score. In 2021, the average sand save percentage on the PGA Tour was just over 50%, with Brooks Keopka leading the tour with 51 saves out of 78 bunkers.
The ability to get up and down frequently during a round is indicative of a player's proficiency in the short game and their overall skill as a golfer. Low single-digit handicappers typically get up and down about 4-5 times out of 10, while top PGA Tour professionals approach a success rate of 65%.
Comparing players' up-and-down percentages can be challenging due to the lack of a standardised definition. However, by examining supplementary variables and data points, such as Strokes Gained Around the Green and Strokes Gained from different distances and lies, a more comprehensive understanding of a player's performance in these situations can be attained.
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'Up and down' percentages are difficult to compare
The term "up and down" in golf means getting the ball onto the green and then getting it into the hole from wherever it is lying on the course by taking only a single shot for each part of this process. In other words, it is the percentage of the time a player misses the green and takes one shot to get the ball onto the green and another shot to make the putt.
However, there is no official definition of the term "up and down" in golf. While it is generally understood to refer to the scenario described above, there are variations in how different players interpret the term. For example, some players may consider a long putt followed by a short putt as an "up and down," while others may associate it specifically with a chip and a putt. This lack of a standardised definition makes it challenging to compare players' "up and down" percentages accurately.
Additionally, the PGA Tour, for instance, does not measure "up and downs" directly but instead focuses on scrambling, which has a clearer definition. "Scrambling" refers to the percentage of time a player misses the green in regulation but still makes par or better. This distinction further complicates comparisons of "up and down" percentages between players.
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of a golfer's performance, it is recommended to consider additional statistical variables. Strokes Gained Around the Green and Strokes Gained from different distances and lies can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of shots hit from around the green, independent of other factors.
While "up and down" percentages can offer some insight into a player's performance, they should be interpreted within the broader context of other relevant data points to make more meaningful comparisons between different golfers.
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Frequently asked questions
Up and down in golf means to get the ball up onto the green and then get the subsequent putt down into the hole in two strokes from anywhere the ball is positioned around the green. This is usually achieved by a chip or bunker shot followed by a putt.
Sand saves are a type of up and down. They refer specifically to the percentage of time a player is able to get up and down from a greenside bunker.
No, there is no official definition of the term up and down in golf. However, it is generally used to refer to the scenarios described above.
Getting up and down frequently during a round is an indication of a player's proficiency in the short game. It usually means that they are very good at chipping or putting, or both.
