Golf Stats – Strokes Gained

March 1, 2016March 1, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 13 Comments

This is my last installment on golf stats. As previously discussed in two different articles (1,2), golf stats are deceiving. As with all stats, the analyst can draw many different conclusions depending on the criteria that the data is measured against. The PGA Tour is trying to rectify the confusion by introducing a new set of statistics that measure the player’s performance against the field. Sounds interesting.

I decided to copy Mark Broadie’s explanation directly from this website. I thought by trying to simplify this new golf stat, I would just muddy the waters. So here it is in its entirety.

“Mark Broadie is at the forefront of a revolutionary new approach to the game of golf that uses analytics from the financial world to uncover the secrets of the game of golf. He crunches data to show both professional and amateur golfers how to make better decisions on the course.”
Continue reading →

GAO Growing the Game!

February 27, 2016February 27, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Walking around the Toronto Golf Show I was happy to see a variety of booths and kiosks. As we meandered down ‘demo alley’, I spied the area for the Golf Association of Ontario. As a current member, I was drawn to their location like a moth to light. I talked to many of the hosts and hostesses about the GAO and was impressed by what they had to offer. There were two ‘Grow the Game’ initiatives presented at the Toronto Golf Show I had never heard of and after some research realized there were more worth mentioning!

The first was a pledge to play golf in 2016! The GAO provided a unique way to challenge golfers to hit the links this summer. Like all goals when written down, most people become motivated and accountable to achieve them. In the 2016 golf season, I have committed to play 80 rounds of golf. Given I have 28 weeks to achieve my goal, I think it is achievable. I will let you know when the season is over. Continue reading →

Golf Stats vs Golf Stats – Pt 2

February 25, 2016February 25, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Scrambling for Par

My last post talked about four common stats track by amateur golfers. These stats are easy to record while playing, however if find that your playing partners are waiting for you to record you data, I suggest finding a quicker way to record the data (little slow play plug). These and other stats can provide valuable indicators on where to focus your practice to improve your game.

The four stats in question are driving percentage, GIR, # of Putts, and scramble percentage. These particular stats are enough for most players to understand their strengths and weaknesses in their game. However, it is important to properly interpret the results to find the root problem that causes a lower stat percentage. As I analyze the data I make try to determine the root-cause of my challenges, not just the obvious! Continue reading →

Golf Stats vs Golf Stats

February 24, 2016February 24, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

On and off over the years, I have tracked every kind of golf stat. I have found stats can be both valuable and a waste of time. It really depends on what I want to do with the data. Collecting stats without a plan to use them is just collecting stats. Knowing what to do with them is extremely important because the stat may not actually be the root problem.

Recently, I asked which golf stat was the most important. This is what people said:

Do you keep golf stats when playing? If so, what is the most important #golf stat to improve your game?

— The Grateful Golfer (@TheGratefulGolf) February 20, 2016

As you can see, GIR and # of putts are the stats that the respondents felt were the most important. However, there were four stats and I am not sure we can discount the other two so quickly! Continue reading →

Fantasy Golf League

February 23, 2016February 24, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Duck Sighting!

For the past two years I have belonged to two fantasy golf leagues. Each has a different format, yet both require me to weekly select 4 or 6 players depending on the league. I enjoy trying to figure out who is hot and who is not, but for the most part, I suck at selecting the hot player on any given week.

The Golf Channel Fantasy Golf League and PGA Tour Fantasy League driven by AVIS offer different criteria for player selection. Neither is better, but both are extremely tough. Both the leagues offer an opportunity to compete against other golfing fans and maybe some bragging rights! Continue reading →