Up-and-Down
An up-and-down means holing out in two strokes from off the green: one chip or pitch (the "up"), then one putt (the "down"). It is a key short-game measure.
Up-and-down describes holing out in two total strokes after the ball has missed the green. The first stroke is a recovery shot, such as a chip, pitch, or bunker shot. That is the "up," bringing the ball onto the green. A single putt, the "down," follows. Up-and-down percentage is the rate at which a golfer converts these chances. It is one of the most commonly tracked short-game statistics. It also strongly indicates how well a player scrambles to protect par or better after missing a green.
Getting up-and-down blends two distinct skills that golfers often lump together. The first is proximity control on the chip or pitch. The goal is to leave a makeable putt, not necessarily to hole the recovery shot itself. The second is converting that putt. A golfer who reliably leaves recovery shots within 4 to 6 feet of the hole will convert a high percentage of up-and-downs. That holds even without an outstanding putting stroke, because golfers of nearly any skill level make short putts at a high rate. A golfer whose recovery shots scatter widely faces much longer, lower-percentage second putts, however good their stroke is in isolation.
Up-and-down percentage varies meaningfully by lie and location. A bunker up-and-down is generally harder than one from a clean lie in the fairway rough just off the green. That is why serious statistical tracking sometimes breaks the number down by situation, rather than reporting one blended rate. Even so, the single overall number remains one of the clearest, most actionable measures of short-game quality. An everyday golfer can track it across a season.
Example
A player misses the green short-right on a par 4, chips to 5 feet, and holes the putt — a textbook up-and-down that saves par despite missing the green in regulation.
Why it matters
Up-and-down percentage directly measures short-game efficiency. It is one of the clearest ways to see whether missed greens are turning into saved pars, or into bogeys and worse.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as an up-and-down?
Getting the ball in the hole in exactly two strokes after missing the green — one recovery shot (chip, pitch, or bunker shot) followed by one putt.
How is up-and-down different from scrambling?
"Scrambling" is the broader statistic measuring the rate of saving par or better after any missed green, regardless of how many strokes it takes, while up-and-down specifically requires doing it in exactly two strokes.
Related terms
- Sand SaveA sand save is an up-and-down from a greenside bunker: one bunker shot, then one putt. This harder statistic judges bunker play in particular.
- ScramblingScrambling is how often a golfer saves par or better after missing the green in regulation, in any number of strokes. It is the broadest short-game stat.
- Greens in Regulation (GIR)Greens in Regulation (GIR) counts how often a golfer reaches the green in two strokes fewer than par. It is golf's most common ball-striking measure.
- Chip-and-RunA chip-and-run is a low, bouncing chip that gets on the green fast and rolls toward the hole. It is the safest choice when there is room between the ball and the green edge.
- One-PuttA one-putt is holing out with a single putt once on the green. It comes from a made long putt or, far more often, an approach or chip left close enough to be a near-automatic make.
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