What should you be tracking?

What It Tracks: The number of times your tee shot lands in the fairway on par 4s and par 5s.

Why It Matters: Hitting the fairway gives you a better chance to hit greens in regulation (GIR) and avoid trouble (like rough, trees, or hazards). This stat shows how accurate you are off the tee and helps identify patterns (e.g., frequent misses left or right).

Why It Matters: GIR is a strong predictor of scoring potential. The more greens you hit, the more birdie opportunities you have, and the fewer pressure shots you’ll need to save par or bogey.

What It Tracks: The total number of putts you take in a round.

Why It Matters: Putting makes up nearly half of all strokes in a round. While this stat doesn’t account for putting difficulty, it’s a good starting point to assess whether putting is a weakness or strength.

What It Tracks: The percentage of times you make par after missing the green in regulation, typically with a chip or pitch and a putt.

Why It Matters: This stat highlights your short game performance. If you’re missing greens but can recover well, you’ll keep your scores lower. A low percentage suggests you need to work on chipping, pitching, or bunker shots.

What It Tracks: The number of strokes added due to hazards, out-of-bounds shots, or lost balls.

Why It Matters: Penalty strokes are avoidable mistakes that inflate your score. Tracking them helps you identify whether your course management or driving accuracy is causing these errors, so you can adjust accordingly.

What It Tracks: The average distance of your drives (best measured on holes without significant wind or elevation changes).

Why It Matters: Understanding your average driving distance helps you play smarter by selecting clubs and targets that match your capabilities. It also shows if increasing distance could improve your game.

What It Tracks: The direction of your misses (left, right, short, or long) for tee shots and approaches.

Why It Matters: This stat identifies patterns in your game. For example, consistently missing right might indicate a swing flaw, like an open clubface or outside-in path.

What It Tracks: The percentage of times you get up and down from greenside bunkers to save par.

Why It Matters: Bunker shots are a key part of the short game. Tracking sand saves helps you evaluate bunker play and whether you should practice these shots more.

What It Tracks: Your average score on holes of each par type (3, 4, and 5).

Why It Matters: This stat shows where you gain or lose strokes. For example:

• • Struggling on par 3s might mean you need to improve your iron play.
  • High scores on par 5s could mean poor course management or missed opportunities to capitalize on shorter holes.

What It Tracks: The number of birdies, pars, bogeys, double bogeys, and worse per round.

Why It Matters: This gives a clear picture of your scoring trends and highlights where you can improve. For example:

• • Too many double bogeys might point to poor recovery play or penalty strokes.
  • A high percentage of pars could show steady play but missed birdie chances.