What is Strokes Gained?
Strokes Gained is a simple yet powerful tool that provides a snapshot of the key aspects of your game to rapidly pinpoint opportunities for improvement.
Your average performance in each area is compared to a database of performance averages for golfers at a skill level that you choose.
Positive numbers show where you are performing better than the average and gaining strokes. Negative numbers show where you are losing strokes and need to improve.
In this example, the golfer is a good driver and putter but needs to spend more time working on the short game and iron play.
History of Strokes Gained
Over 20 years ago, Mark Broadie, a professor at Columbia Business School and former champion at his club, was at the forefront of a revolutionary approach to how to improve your golf performance and strategy.
Just Go Play
and see where you gain strokes or lose them and what it takes to reach your target score.
As a mathematician, Broadie did not believe that traditional golf stats, such as score, greens in regulation and number of putts were sufficient to understand what made a top player on the PGA Tour better than others. Also, such limited data failed to help him understand, ”what it takes to drop 10 strokes off your golf score?” His research led to the development of “Strokes Gained” and the writing of his renowned book Every Shot Counts in 2014.
Beginning in 2003, the PGA Tour began gathering detailed data on every shot taken by their players at every tournament using about 350 volunteers and a system called ShotLink that cost $millions to develop. Ball locations and distances were measured and recorded on every shot.
The ShotLink data was provided to PhD mathematician Mark Brodie who refined the revolutionary concept of Strokes Gained based upon the distance, location and score for each shot. Today Strokes Gained provides a scientific method to measure the performance of each aspect of a Tour Players game as compared to every other Tour Player. If a player performed better in a measured category he would be “Gaining” strokes on the field and if he was playing worse, he would be “Losing” strokes to the field.
Now every PGA Tour Player can see how he performs in each Strokes Gained category and identify the areas to work to improve his game. GameTraX 360 with SuperTags can do the same for recreational golfers without 350 volunteers and without distracting from the enjoyment of your game. JUST GO PLAY and see where you gain strokes or lose them and what it takes to reach your target score.
Why Use Strokes Gained?
Golf is more than just counting shots—it's about mastering different aspects of the game. Strokes Gained is a powerful tool that goes beyond traditional scoring and statistics, providing insights into specific skills that are your key to better golf. It goes beyond simple fairways hit and greens in regulation to pinpoint exactly where you're gaining or losing strokes compared to golfers of similar skill.
Each Strokes Gained category factors in both accuracy and distance for each shot taken, so you can see the whole picture in a simple snapshot. It`s not just about “How Long” or “How Straight” you hit it a shot, it`s about “How Well” you hit your shots compared to your target group.
Unlike other shot tracking applications, GameTraX 360 not only provides you with your summary Strokes Gained averages, it also shows strokes gained for every shot on every hole.
How Can I Use Strokes Gained to Get Better?
Strokes Gained Statistics provide a quick snapshot of the area where you need to improve the most.
Find the category with the worst score, even if all are positive (+) or all are negative (-), and that`s where you begin. The specific score doesn`t matter. The worst one of the four is where you`re looking to improve. In this case the golfer is losing -1.88 shots “Around the Green” compared to his peer group.
GameTraX allows a deeper dive into your SHORT GAME for a more detailed picture. In this case the golfer is losing the most strokes (-1.56) in the 11–20-yard range from the hole. You can also see that another detailed GameTraX statistic FEET REM (proximity to the hole) for that distance is 20 feet. If this golfer were to practice and improve from this distance, scores would improve quickly.
Once you pinpoint the area where you need to improve the most, get help from an instructor or practice that area while maintaining your performance in the others. Having a balanced game allows you to play your best and improve rapidly.
Performance Averages – MyPar Goal
SkyGolf`s MyPar feature allows you to select and compare your capabilities against Tour Professionals as well as with golfers within a given handicap range. Measure yourself against golfers within your current scoring range or pick a lower range to see what you need to work on to get there.
SwingTrax 360 Takes You One Step Farther to Improve
Once you`ve used Strokes Gained to find your specific areas that need improvement, SwingTrax 360 Swing Analyzer can be used to measure key metrics and capture a 3D simulation of your swing during your practice sessions to improve your technique.
Let`s use the example of the golfer noted above who needs significant improvement with shots Around the Green. To improve this golfer`s short game, we can look at a couple of the key factors that differentiate the short game from full shots:
- The Tempo for shots around the green is different than that of a full shot. Tempo for the short game is typically in the range of 2:1 and the full swing is 3:1, and.
- Distance control The SwingTraX App can be set up to measure the key metrics for Tempo, Timing and Distance Control:
- Swing Tempo
- Total Swing Time
- Backswing Time
- Downswing Time
- Backswing Length
- Clubhead Speed
You can`t fix it
if you can`t see it!
Only SuperTags and SwingVue, let you
See It, too!
From the data, we can see that Tempo is 3:4 for this golfer rather than the ideal 2:1 that is best for this length of pitch or chip shot. A further drill down shows that the TOTAL TIME 1.17 seconds for this shot is high. These factors help explain why the golfer`s proximity to the hole for these short pitches is 20 feet.
Working to improve Tempo will help this golfer significantly.
In addition to improving Tempo, the golfer can also pick a certain distance shot and then monitor backswing length and clubhead speed to improve distance control.
GameTraX 360 provides a simple way to capture Strokes Gained to identify where you need to improve and SwingTrax 360 helps you improve your technique and groove a fix.
You can`t fix it, if you can`t see it! Only SuperTags and SwingVue, let you See It, too!
NOTHING ELSE COMES CLOSE.