Knowledge of the directional distribution of a wave field is crucial for a better understanding of complex air-sea interactions. However, the dynamic and unpredictable nature of ocean waves, combined with the limitations of existing measurement technologies and analysis techniques, make it difficult to obtain precise directional information, leading to a poor understanding of this important quantity. This study investigates the potential use of a wavelet-based method applied to GPS buoy observations as an alternative approach to the conventional methods for estimating the directional distribution of ocean waves. The results indicate that the wavelet-based estimations are consistently good when compared in the framework of widely used parameterisations for the directional distribution. The wavelet-based method presents advantages in comparison to the conventional methods, including being purely data-driven and not requiring any assumptions about the shape of the distribution. In addition, it was found that the wave directional distribution is narrower at the spectral peak and broadens asymmetrically at higher and lower scales, particularly sharply for frequencies below the peak. The directional spreading appears to be independent of the wave age across the entire range of frequencies, implying that the angular width of the directional spectrum is primarily controlled by nonlinear wave-wave interactions rather than by the wind forcing. These results support the use of the wavelet-based method as a practical alternative for the estimation of the wave directional distribution. In addition, this study highlights the need for continued innovation in the field of ocean wave measuring technologies and analysis techniques to improve our understanding of air-sea interactions (https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-23-0058.1).