To take your game to the next level, you need to start tracking your statistics after every round of golf. 

Why? 

Because you can’t manage what you don’t measure. 

If you want to change your body, you need to measure calories in vs. calories out, plus your daily exercise plan. If you want to run a marathon in under four hours, you need to track your run times and stick to a training plan. 

And if you want to become a better golfer, you need to track all aspects of your game so you can learn the ins and outs of your game. I first started tracking my stats in history class in high school more than 20 years ago and have ever since. It’s one of the main reasons I went from shooting in the 100s to shooting in the 70s a few years later. 

Here’s how to get started…  

Why You Should Track Your Stats 

You might be thinking, do I really need to take the time to track my stats? Here are three reasons why: 

• Establish Your Baseline: Once you track 5-10 rounds, you’ll have a baseline average for metrics like fairways, greens, scrambling, putts per round, and more.
• Practice More Efficiently: After you get your baseline, it will become quite clear where you need to prioritize your practice time and make the most out of each session.
• Improve Your Weaknesses: One of the reasons golf is such a hard game is because there are so many types of shots to master. Tracking your stats makes it easy to identify your weaknesses and eventually turn them into strengths. 

Stat Tracking 101 

Hopefully, you can see why tracking your stats is important. 

Luckily, you don’t have to track your stats like I did in high school by writing your fairways, greens, and putts in a journal. Instead, you can download one of the many free or paid apps to get more insight into your game. Here’s how to get started… 

Stat Tracking Apps

There are tons of free and low cost apps to help you get started. Some examples include Arccos, Golf Shot, 18 Birdies, and more.

These apps make it easy to track your stats and it gives you a round summary once everything is entered. These are great for golfers who are just getting started with entering stats and don’t want to overcomplicate the process. 

In the beginning, focus on fairways, greens, scrambling, sand, and putts. As you advance, then you want to focus on strokes gained. This is a relatively new metric dthat is much more beneficial than just tracking number of fairways, greens, and putts. To learn more about strokes gained, make sure to read Every Shot Counts by Mark Broadie. 

Decades Golf

The best system I’ve found to track your stats is Decades Golf, which is geared toward advanced players. It’s stat tracking on steroids - it’s so good and worth the money. This was created by Scott Fawcett, who considers himself the “moneyball of golf” because he recommends using numbers (not emotions) to play better, more consistently. 

The Decades App makes it easy to log your stats and see more about your game than any other program. Plus, there are tons of videos to help you learn about strokes gained, when to hit a driver, when to attack the pin, how to manage tough conditions, and so much more. 

PGA Tour Stats

Finally, you might be thinking, what are “good” stats? What should I aim for?

Here are some numbers from the 2021 PGA Tour season:

• Driving accuracy: 60.69% 
• Greens in regulation: 65.14%
• Scrambling: 57.94% 
• Sand saves: 50.05% 
• Putting: 29.01 putts per round 

If you’re like most golfers, chances are those numbers might surprise you. It’s hard to believe the pros only hit about 60% of fairways and greens, but the numbers don’t lie. These are good goals for scratch players and something to work toward as your game evolves. But just remember, always compare your game vs. your previous self more than anything else. 

Wrapping Up

Tracking your stats is how you can assess your game objectively and create a plan to improve. Once you log 5-10 rounds, you will have a baseline and can start practicing with purpose to improve your stats. 

The key is making it a habit so you can track your progress over time. Make it a priority each night after golf to log your stats so you can spot trends and practice smarter each week. 

Once you identify the weaker areas in your game, make sure to check out our practice plans. Whether you want to break 100 or become a scratch player, we have one customized for your golf goals. Click here to learn more and find the right practice plan for you.