Golf stats are important and easier to track than ever before. However, most amateurs don’t know how to effectively use those stats to improve their game. If you have a bunch of numbers collected on an app and want to start capitalizing on that information to save strokes, here’s where to start.
Forget tee shot distance. Focus on tee shot tendencies
Fairways hit and distance off the tee are nice to know but your tee shot tendencies are more important. If you know you consistently miss your tee shot left or right, you can make better decisions about aiming and even how to spend your practice time.
If your driver misses to the right 70 percent of the time, aiming in the left center of the fairway makes a lot of sense. What happens to many golfers is that they slice one or two drivers in a round but the fear of a slice forces them to aim further and further left.
Track the data for your driver and even a fairway wood so you know your miss percentages and you can confidently choose a target.
Look at proximity, not just greens in regulation
If you hit every green in regulation, but your shots are 50 feet or more from the pin, you still have some work to do. Knowing that you are leaving your 8-iron 35 yards short on average is actionable information you can use during practice.
Try to group your shot proximity data into yardage ranges.
See how close you are to the hole from inside 100 yards, 100-150 yards and 150-200 yards. It’s normal for your proximity in the 150- to 200-yard range to be much further from the hole.
Start working on that under 100-yard range and practicing getting close to the hole. Check if your shots come up short, long, left or right and take note. Dialing in the shots from 100 yards and in will lower your scores.
Check the number of shots it takes to finish
Start tracking how many shots it takes to finish when your golf ball is within 50 yards of the hole. If you take three or four shots every time, your short game needs help.
This is one of those hidden stats that golfers don’t realize is killing their scores.
Pay attention to which clubs give you the highest up-and-down percentage. We recently took a deep dive into which clubs and types of shots give golfers the best results.
The lower-lofted clubs (putter, 8-iron, 9-iron) are best for getting up and down but they are not used enough by the golfers who will benefit from them the most.
High vs. Low Chips and Pitches – What Works Best?
Everybody needs to make more putts but the data on “first putts” is key
Collect enough data to see if you continually come up too short or too far of the hole. If you learn this pattern, you can adjust your green reading and pace control.
Sometimes, it helps to break down the data into three-foot increments so you can see what your patterns are from six feet. nine feet, etc. When you practice on the putting green, aim to have all putts that don’t go in end up just past the hole.
Go beyond traditional stats
When you start realizing the importance of data, Strokes Gained is one of the best ways to compare the game you have to the golf game you want.
Strokes Gained highlights exactly where you’re losing or gaining shots compared to the benchmark. Watch your trend as you work on these different areas of your game and pinpoint your weaknesses. Start by setting the benchmark as your current handicap and then, as you start to improve, lower the benchmark and see what’s keeping you from getting to your goal handicap.
Know your true club distances
The distances of the shots you hit on the course may differ from those you calculated during your practice sessions.
If you use something like Shot Scope Connex to track your game, look at your performance averages for each club. This will filter out the extra misses and give you distance numbers you can count on.
While you’re at it, closely examine any major distance gaps between these clubs. Go for a custom fitting to fill the gaps.
Look for patterns
Your trends will reveal a lot about your golf game. One bad round doesn’t mean the range session you had earlier was pointless.
Looking for patterns and trends shows you what is holding you back. Are you constantly losing strokes with the driver or is that fixed? Were three-putts a problem that went away or is it still lingering?
In addition, your trends can show you which holes you struggle with the most. Maybe look at changing your course management strategy if you bogey the same par-5 every time you play it.
Another thing to look at is your scoring in competitive versus casual rounds. Scores are always slightly higher in competition but if you notice big discrepancies, consider working on your mental game.
Final thoughts
Tracking your golf game and analyzing stats isn’t just about knowing what you shot but also uncovering why you shot those scores. The more data you collect, the easier it is to make improvements that will positively impact your golf game. Getting better at golf can be a strategic process without getting overcomplicated.
The post 7 Ways to Use Stats Like A Pro (Without Overcomplicating Your Game) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
