How Important Is Data to an Amateur Golfer?

[ParItOut]

I use the shot scope gps watch and record every single round I play. It gives me yardages of the green (F/M/B), traps and water hazards. It saves all my shots and records my round so I can look back at it later on the app. However, it gives me all my performance  data like; strokes gained, putting, tee shots, approach play, club yardages etc. 

my question, and I’d love to hear your thoughts, is too much data dangerous for an amateur player? 

[iacas]

2 hours ago, ParItOut said:

is too much data dangerous for an amateur player?

No. It's just information.

What they do with it is what matters.

[alleztom]

Firstly, an amateur player would cover the low amateur at Augusta up to 36+ handicappers. As as 18 with a fairly analytical mind I think you need to keep a couple of things in mind.

1) Junk in -> Junk out. If I hit my 7i 160, 160, 170 and hit a fat shot that goes 30 yards, the average is 130. I'm not setting up 130 out with a 7i. You've got to know what the data means, not just what the data is. 

2) the standard deviations are just much bigger, more errors, less reliability, more variation. So just because you set up for a certain shot a certain way, and it didn't work out, doesn't mean it was the wrong choice.

With those 2 things in mind it is really helpful for me.

[Piz]

Learning to winnow the wheat from the chaff is an important skill to develop.  

[saevel25]

6 hours ago, ParItOut said:

my question, and I’d love to hear your thoughts, is too much data dangerous for an amateur player? 

Depends on how you use it. 

Data is good for looking at trends, and identifying areas that are actually weaknesses. If your short game is better than a scratch golfer, it might not be beneficial to be working on your short game majority of the time. 

Also, you need to be careful of outlier stats. One or two bad drives could tank your strokes gained driving when you really might have had a good day off the tee. 

Perspective matters the most when looking at stats. 

[jmanbooyaa]

I use a Garmin watch. It is useful in it shows me my true distances after the round. It is also great to point out how full of shit golfers are with their distances. And of course very humbling. 

[darthweasel]

On 11/10/2021 at 5:25 PM, alleztom said:

F

1) Junk in -> Junk out. If I hit my 7i 160, 160, 170 and hit a fat shot that goes 30 yards, the average is 130. I'm not setting up 130 out with a 7i. You've got to know what the data means, not just what the data is. 

2

the app I personally use, Golfpad, allows me to select whether any specific shot is included or not (and I can also determine what time periods are included so I can narrow it to say...last 5 rounds or measure it to all time) so it is pretty flexible. The question comes when I wonder which "outliers" to include and not. Some are obvious....if I am hitting a recovery shot or some sort of half or 3/4 swing, I mark it "do not use". If I hit it fat or thin...scratch those. (recent example I hit my 8i 119 and 194 I think it was back to back shots)

But should I delete say the shortest 5% and longest 5% to get an average what is that dividing line? I saw a thing one time that was along the lines of "hit 10 shots, take off the 2 shortest and 2 longest and figure your average from there" but there was no data given as to why. Obviously I want to use the best data available so when I am standing there with a 140 yard carry debating PW or 9i it isn't a situation where it should be 8i....which comes back to am I using quality data.

[Vinsk]

7 hours ago, darthweasel said:

Obviously I want to use the best data available so when I am standing there with a 140 yard carry debating PW or 9i it isn't a situation where it should be 8i....which comes back to am I using quality data.

Well, many golfers have played excellent golf without the information you’re wanting. For years it wasn’t even available. So whatever you have should certainly be of some assistance. 🙂

[KMP]

On 11/19/2021 at 12:53 PM, darthweasel said:

the app I personally use, Golfpad, allows me to select whether any specific shot is included or not (and I can also determine what time periods are included so I can narrow it to say...last 5 rounds or measure it to all time) so it is pretty flexible. The question comes when I wonder which "outliers" to include and not. Some are obvious....if I am hitting a recovery shot or some sort of half or 3/4 swing, I mark it "do not use". If I hit it fat or thin...scratch those. (recent example I hit my 8i 119 and 194 I think it was back to back shots)

But should I delete say the shortest 5% and longest 5% to get an average what is that dividing line? I saw a thing one time that was along the lines of "hit 10 shots, take off the 2 shortest and 2 longest and figure your average from there" but there was no data given as to why. Obviously I want to use the best data available so when I am standing there with a 140 yard carry debating PW or 9i it isn't a situation where it should be 8i....which comes back to am I using quality data.

Make a frequency plot and the peak is your typical shot.  Average isn't necessary a mathematical calculation in golf. Be aware if you play in differing course conditions (dry rolls more than wet for example) your data may be a composite of two or more "typical shots".

[Typhoon92]

You don’t need an app… use your brain.  I’ll steal a few earlier quotes… Iacas is right, information is fine, it’s how you use it.  Vinsk is spot on too… we’ve gone years without apps and been fine figuring it out.

First and foremost know your yardages for each club.  Not too hard to figure out on your own.  Just use your head.  Think of the next important thing… to me it’s greens in regulation.  If you’re missing a ton of greens , in your head if you go over your round.  Is it because I punch out of the woods all day or is it because I’m inaccurate with my irons… if I’m missing short all day, I don’t know my yardages.  If I’m middle of the green but left or right that’s a swing issue.  If I’m punching out of the woods but then hitting the green with an iron, my driving sucks.

You don’t need an app to figure it out, use your head.  You’ll be a better golfer because of it.  When you’re on the course you can go to an app, you have to figure it out in your head.

[tomvk77]

It comes down to what data. and what type of amateur golfer you are. I do keep data on my golf rounds but only the tournament rounds. I make a practice plan over the winter time period on the worst part on my game. As for how far I hit my clubs I don't keep those stats