Golf Statistics & Performance Tracking
Master the numbers that matter for consistent improvement and lower scores
📊 Essential Golf Statistics
Scoring Statistics
- • Scoring Average: Primary performance measure
- • Birdies per Round: Aggressive play indicator
- • Bogeys per Round: Error rate tracking
- • Par or Better %: Consistency measure
- • Under Par Rounds: Peak performance
Driving Statistics
- • Driving Distance: Average and carry
- • Fairways Hit %: Accuracy measure
- • Left/Right Miss Pattern: Tendency tracking
- • Driving Efficiency: Distance + accuracy
- • Total Driving Rank: Combined metric
Approach Play
- • Greens in Regulation %: Iron play quality
- • Proximity to Pin: Distance from hole
- • GIR from Fairway %: Position benefit
- • Approach from Rough %: Recovery skill
- • Long Iron Accuracy: Distance control
Short Game
- • Scrambling %: Up and down success
- • Sand Save %: Bunker escape rate
- • Bounce Back %: Recovery after bogey
- • Chip Shot Proximity: Distance to hole
- • Penalty Stroke Average: Error minimization
Putting Statistics
- • Putts per Round: Overall putting performance
- • Putts per GIR: Putting when on green
- • One-Putt %: Excellent putting rate
- • Three-Putt %: Poor putting rate
- • Make % by Distance: Success rates
Advanced Metrics
- • Strokes Gained Total: Overall performance
- • Strokes Gained Driving: Tee shot value
- • Strokes Gained Approach: Iron play value
- • Strokes Gained Short Game: Recovery value
- • Strokes Gained Putting: Putting value
📈 Strokes Gained Deep Dive
Understanding Strokes Gained
Strokes Gained measures how much better or worse a player performs compared to the field average from the same position.
How It Works
- • Baseline: PGA Tour averages for each shot
- • Positive number = better than average
- • Negative number = worse than average
- • Cumulative over entire round
Benefits
- • Identifies strengths and weaknesses
- • More accurate than traditional stats
- • Accounts for course difficulty
- • Guides practice priorities
Strokes Gained Categories
Driving
- • Tee shots on par 4s and 5s
- • Distance and accuracy combined
- • Position for next shot
- • Penalty avoidance
Approach
- • Shots from fairway to green
- • 100+ yards typically
- • Iron and hybrid play
- • Green-finding ability
Short Game
- • Shots within 100 yards
- • Wedge play and chipping
- • Bunker shots included
- • Recovery situations
Putting
- • All shots on putting green
- • Distance-based expectations
- • Make rates by length
- • Speed control included
📱 Statistics Tracking Tools
Mobile Apps
Arccos Golf
AI-powered shot tracking with sensors
Shot Scope
Performance tracking and analysis
Game Golf
Automatic shot detection
Manual Tracking
Scorecard+
Enhanced scorecards with stats
Golf Pad
GPS-based tracking app
The Grint
Social golf scoring platform
Professional Systems
PGA Tour ShotLink
Professional tournament tracking
TrackMan
Launch monitor data analysis
FlightScope
Doppler radar tracking
🎯 Using Statistics for Improvement
Practice Priority System
Identifying Weaknesses
- • Lowest strokes gained category = biggest opportunity
- • Compare to benchmark (scratch, your handicap level)
- • Track trends over multiple rounds
- • Focus on biggest point loss first
Improvement Timeline
- • Short game: Fastest improvement (weeks)
- • Putting: Quick gains possible (days/weeks)
- • Approach shots: Medium term (months)
- • Driving: Longest term (months/years)
Goal Setting Framework
Short-term (1-3 months)
- • Improve weakest strokes gained by 0.2
- • Reduce three-putts by 50%
- • Increase scrambling by 10%
- • Track specific weaknesses
Medium-term (3-6 months)
- • Lower scoring average by 1-2 strokes
- • Improve overall strokes gained
- • Increase GIR percentage
- • Develop course management
Long-term (6+ months)
- • Achieve target handicap
- • Balanced strokes gained profile
- • Competitive performance
- • Consistent scoring