A quantitative relationship has been experimentally determined correlation the resolution degradation ofp‐type coaxial high‐purity germanium detectors to the concentration of residual hole‐trapping point defects. Detector diameters ranged from 48 to 65 mm, and the average electric‐field strength was 1500 V/cm. The concept of a ‘‘standard level’’ is proposed, which originates in the similar capture kinetics of many commonly observed residual acceptors in high‐purity germanium. A method for calculating the electric‐field dependence of hole capture is presented and used to compare the data reported here with published modeling results parameterized by the mean‐free‐drift length. Good general agreement is found.