At what distance will a one-degree direction change in putting result in hitting the edge of the hole instead of the center?

A one-degree direction change in putting will have a more significant impact on the ball's trajectory as the distance from the hole increases. This occurs because the arc of the ball's path becomes larger with increased distance, meaning that even a small change in angle can result in substantial lateral movement by the time the ball reaches the hole.

To understand why 10 feet is the correct answer, consider how a one-degree shift translates to lateral movement at the hole. As the distance increases, the edge of the hole becomes the point of reference, and at approximately 10 feet away, a one-degree angle can lead to the ball’s path deviating enough to miss the center and hit the edge instead. This is due to the geometry of the situation: the longer the putt, the more pronounced the effect of even minor changes in direction.

At shorter distances, like 5 or 7 feet, the ball has less distance to travel, and a one-degree direction change may not result in a miss of that magnitude; the ball is more likely to remain on target. Consequently, it is at the longer range of 10 feet that the effects of a minor directional error become significant enough to cause the ball to hit the edge rather than the center of the hole