Which is the Most Important Stat?
Golf stats are an interesting thing. They provide information about virtually every topic and many players, analysts, and pundits rely on stats to make their point! This is all good for the viewing public who may need to be entertained between golf shots on TV or while reading their favourite article, but do stats have any real value to the average hacker trying to improve their score?
Recently, I received a random email (not from the author) from that someone suggesting that stats could be used to break 80. Ever the skeptic, I read through the paragraph and wondered what others thought. Here is the what the author Mike Tappett from mikeplaysgolf said:
“All golfers I’ve coached do this one thing and do it religiously. Keep track of how many fairways hit, greens hit in regulation and putts you take per round. This exercise alone will tell you the weaker part of your game. The average player who shoots in the mid and high 70’s consistently will average about 8-12 fairways, 9-11 greens in regulation and between 27-30 putts per round.”
On the surface, I can see the value of keeping stats, however without an action play, keeping stats is well – meaningless. personally, I have never kept stats. I have never felt the need or requirement, but this year is different. I am trying new things and keeping an open mind to anything that will improve my game. As I drive towards being a scratch golfer, I do not want to overlook anything!
So my question are: Do keep stats? If so, do you use them to focus you practice? If not, why? I am all ears!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
Seeing as I am a putter seller, I do keep track of my putts per round.
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Pete
That makes total sense! Thanks for checking in!
Cheers
Jim
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I have never kept stats, except when I have felt I did something exceptionally well in a particular round and counted just to see. I don’t think you need stats to know what is the short comings of your game. Your problems can change from round to round and stats can be misleading. We all go through these experiences where one day we drive the ball great and from the fairway butcher every iron shot. We scramble great one day and shoot close to par and then the next we strike the ball great but mess up around the green and shoot 80. Do you really need stats to tell you what the hell happened on those days. Other than a topic of conversation I see absolutely no benefit for the time spent.
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Vet
As always, you cut straight to the chase. The more advanced golfers do not really require stats to point out their challenges per round – I call it going down the rabbit hole or white noise. Thanks for your comment.
Cheers
Jim
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Hi Jim- I use an app call GolfShot to keep my scores and it’s very quick and convenient to enter the number of putts, sand shot and penalty strokes while punching in the score. It then extrapolates GIR, sand saves and scrambling on its own. I try not to scrutinize individual stats too much because they can be misleading but it’s fun to review how things go over time by comparing different things over last 20 vs last 5 rounds for example
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Crunchy
I see the value to comparing to try and identify some trends. My Garmin Approach 6 has a smaller version of stat taking. I agree that analyzing individual rounds is not a good habit to form.
Cheers
Jim
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Jim –
I kept the following stats religiously last year, even if I had to keep a separate scorecard:
Score, Relation to par, Drive distance, Fairway hit, Green in Regulation, Sand Saves and Total Putts. Basically, anything I could input into my online handicap (GHIN) program, I kept track of.
It helped me realize where I was falling short (GIR), but despite increased focus during practice sessions, it didn’t really lead to much improvement. Hence, golf lessons this winter.
I’m taking this season off from that kind of stat nerdery, given the swing changes. Really, if I know how far I’m usually driving the ball, it’s best indicator of how I’m swinging.
Good luck.
Dave
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Dave
Thanks for the detailed answer! Was it tedious keeping all those stats while you played? I would seem a bit distracting; was it?
Cheers
Jim
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Not after the 1st or 2nd time. I’d keep a separate scorecard, which most have enough rows for each, so the only numbers I’d have keep we’re score, drive yardage and putts. Everything else was check or X.
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Dave,
Interesting. Thanks, I will give it some thought!
Cheers
Jim
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Jim I have kept stats for the last six seasons. GIR, total putts, and relation to par. For me GIR is always the best indicator of my level of play. Putts are not and i am thinking of discontinuing them. Never kept fairways but i fear i’d be below the Mendoza line as of late. Thanks! Brian
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Brian
Thanks for the feedback. GIR is the most important stat! Better the GIR, better I am playing all around!
Cheers
Jim
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